


Bond of Souls

by Daovihi



Category: Dragon Quest Series, Dragon Quest XI
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Ghosts, Battle, Dragon Quest XI Act II Spoilers, F/M, Genderfluid Sylvia | Sylvando (Dragon Quest XI), Ghost hugs, Hero | Luminary is Named Eleven | El (Dragon Quest XI), Kinda, M/M, Other, Past Character Death, Possession, background Luminerik, bed sharing, everybody gangsta til the pearl starts throwing things, hendrik is lonely but eleven is lonelier, hendrik is the luminary, mostly just one ghost, poltergeist activity, trying out a different format
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-16
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:20:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 28,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23686801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daovihi/pseuds/Daovihi
Summary: One pearl and some rumors. That was all it took to set off a chain of events that led to Hendrik's soul becoming permanently intertwined with that of the dead Luminary. Now Hendrik must learn to live with a ghost he cannot run from, while shouldering the burden of being chosen to be the Luminary.
Relationships: Graig | Hendrik & Hero | Luminary, Graig | Hendrik/Sylvia | Sylvando (Dragon Quest XI)
Comments: 77
Kudos: 34





	1. The Pearl

**Author's Note:**

> me: i need to work on bbb and tsatu  
> my stupid brain: no start another au  
> me: why  
> my brain: you gotta

Blue John grunts as he pulls up his net onto his boat, then sighs at his disappointing haul. All it contains is seaweed, nothing that he can trade for some string to repair his fishing rod. At least he can eat the seaweed, as unappetizing as it is after countless days where it is all he gets to eat.

Blue John opens up the net and starts picking out the seaweed. A piece stripped away reveals a flash of shimmering white. Blue John peels away the adjacent seaweed, freeing a white orb the size of Blue John's fist. He gingerly picks it up, closely examining it, then the realization hits him.

"Sweet mother Yggdrasil!" Blue John throws his head back and cackles. "Seems like someone's still looking out for Blue John! Just look at the size of this thing!"

It doesn't occur to Blue John that the pearl shouldn't be this warm after being in ice-cold water.

\-----

The pearl was immediately taken to the Last Bastion and traded for fishing supplies, food, and cloth. Both Blue John and Derk left the deal happy, but others did not approve of it. Many came to Derk to chew him out over it, especially Opal. But as annoyed as Hendrik was over it, he couldn't bring himself to care much. If he let himself feel, he would fall victim to despair. There are too many lives at stake. Too many lives already lost.

Hendrik will just skip another meal. Maybe even donate what cloth he still has to the community. After all, they need it more than him.

\-----

The first incident would have been dismissed as an accident, if it weren't for the ones that followed.

It was just a single cup that fell onto its side and rolled off the table. At the time, Amber made a joke about the wind and set the cup back in its proper place. The next day, it happened again. Amber sighed and set it back. It fell over as soon as it was set upright. Amber blamed it on butterfingers and set it upright again, then goes back to her conversation with Derk. The moment Derk mentions selling the pearl to some travelling merchants, the cup flies into his face.

That was only the beginning. After that, the rumors started to spread. Objects would be thrown, sheets ripped off of beds, and in some cases, people would seize up and pass out, only to wake up minutes later completely fine. But what was worst was that people would occasionally feel a ghostly-cold hand squeeze their hearts, as if something was trying to rip their souls from their bodies.

Hendrik doesn't believe a word of it. It is most likely the work of pranksters, with a touch of exaggeration added by those with too much imagination. After all, how could a single pearl curse the entirety of the civillian sector?

\-----

Derk could not sell the pearl to the travelling merchants. From what Hendrik heard, someone told the merchants about the 'curse' on the pearl, and they believed it. Hendrik was hoping they would buy it, if only so that the civillians would stop getting worked up about it. They're even scaring the soldiers.

Hendrik needs to put a stop to this. For their own good.

"Give me the pearl." Hendrik holds his hand out to Derk. "Now."

"Uh, one moment, please." Derk digs the pearl out of a chest and holds it up for Hendrik to see. "You are a very lucky man. Normally, a pearl this size would easily go for thousands of gold, but I am willing to part with it for just one hundred gold!"

Hendrik scowls. "I am not paying a hundred gold for it."

Derk laughs. "Did I say a hundred? Whoopsie! I meant fifty! Do we have a deal?"

"No. Give me the pearl. That is an order."

"Twenty-five! Please!" Derk begs. "I traded so much for this thing, and all its done is drive away business!"

Hendrik sighs. "I will pay you twenty gold, and not a single coin more."

"Deal!"

Hendrik digs out his coin purse, counts out exactly twenty coins, and leaves them on the table. Then, he takes the pearl and holds it to the candlelight.

"It is perfectly undamaged. I checked it myself!" Derk says.

"That is not what I am checking the pearl for." Hendrik turns the pearl over and over. "I am looking for any form of enchantment or magic that may be on the pearl."

"It's not cursed, I swear! I had the priest check it over and everything!"

"Hm…" Hendrik takes the pearl away from the candle. Then, he walks out without a word.

\-----

No sooner does Hendrik enter his tent than does the thankfully unlit lantern he left on his desk crash to the ground. Hendrik loudly curses and leaves the pearl in a bowl as he puts the undamaged frame of the lantern on the desk. Then, he cleans up the glass and leaves it in a box Hendrik labelled 'Shrapnel'.

"I must stitch that hole in the wall one day…" Hendrik grumbles, shooting a glare at a tear just above the desk that lets a draft in. Hendrik would have fixed it sooner, but he doesn't do too much writing nowadays, so he hasn't really needed to.

Hendrik picks the pearl back up. "You have caused us nothing but trouble since you arrived."

No response. It's just a pearl.

Hendrik sighs and puts the pearl back. He kicks his boots off, leaves his greatsword on his desk, then settles onto his threadbare cot and closes his eyes. The end of his tunic immediately flies into Hendrik's face, making him splutter and grab his greatsword. Hendrik shoots up, only to see no one around. Hendrik checks under the cot, but still, no one.

"What on Erdrea…?" Hendrik mutters. "Did I somehow… kick my tunic into my face?"

The lantern crashes to the ground again. Hendrik clenches his jaw and puts the lamp back along with his sword, then lays down, crosses his arms, and shuts his eyes.

\-----

Now it's the soldiers talking about the curse. They claim the same things that affected the civillians are now affecting them. It only serves to aggravate the headache Hendrik gets whenever he hears the word 'pearl' or 'ghost'. At least the civillians got bored of spreading those rumors.

Hendrik catches his jar of sword oil before it hits the ground. He carefully puts it back, only for it to tip over. Hendrik sets it back up. It falls on its side. Hendrik rubs his temples and puts it up. It falls. How are things constantly falling over? Hendrik stitched the hole up. There shouldn't be a draft anymore.

Ugh. Hendrik doesn't have time for this. He needs to go out, look for survivors and supplies. Perhaps if he's lucky, he may even find the Luminary. Goddess, what would Hendrik even do once he's found Eleven? Should he apologize right away? Wait until they're both safely in the Last Bastion? Would Eleven even be willing to go with him?

Hendrik shakes the thoughts from his head. Thinking about those things will only make Hendrik emotional. Emotion is a luxury Hendrik cannot afford.

\-----

Hendrik shambles into his tent, dropping his sword on the ground. He sits on his cot and lets his head hang. The lead weight that has remained on Hendrik's shoulders since The Fall grows heavier with each passing second. There were so many he couldn't save. If only he was faster… If only he got there sooner…

The heavily-damaged lantern scoots towards the edge of the table. Something snaps inside Hendrik.

"I am not in the mood for your devilish antics!" Hendrik stands up, screaming at the air. "I swear to all that is holy, if you attempt to break any of my possessions, I will personally arrest you on charges of sabotaging our military!"

Hendrik pants as he stares at the lantern. The lantern is nudged towards the center of the desk. Hendrik goes back to his cot and puts his face in his hands. His eyes sting, and his throat tightens, but Hendrik does not cry. He couldn't, even if he wanted to.

Hendrik feels a presence settle next to him, but when he looks, nothing is there. Something cold drapes itself across Hendrik's shoulders, but not the kind of cold Hendrik has come to associate with the 'spectral hand' everyone and their mother seem to have experienced. This kind of cold feels like a scoop of ice cream on a hot summer day, and for once, Hendrik welcomes this strange cold.

"…Thank you." Hendrik whispers.

The cold envelops Hendrik further, coming to wrap around his chest and completely engulf his shoulder.

"Who are you?" Hendrik asks the air. When no one answers, Hendrik sighs. "Why did I bother? No one has ever heard you speak. And that is assuming you are truly real."

The cold disappears altogether.

"Wait!" Hendrik holds his hand out to the presence. "I apologize. Please do not leave."

The cold returns to around Hendrik's back.

"Thank you." Hendrik relaxes. "I hope this day is treating you well." After a pause, Hendrik keeps talking. "How did you manage to become both invisible and intangible?" Silence follows. "I suppose you would not be likely to answer the question, regardless of your capacity for speech. But… thank you for spending time with me. I would wish to stay with you, but I must retire." Hendrik frowns at the mention. He looks at the rest of his cot, bare except for Hendrik himself. "I do not suppose you have a blanket I could borrow?"

The cold leaves. A few moments later, the bowl on Hendrik's desk starts rattling. Hendrik furrows his brows and goes to it. The rattling stops when Hendrik draws near, allowing the pearl inside to roll against the edge. Hendrik picks the pearl up with his gloved hand. Why would the… invisible person draw attention to this?

Hendrik puts it down, takes one of his gloves off, and holds the pearl in the ungloved hand. The pearl is somehow warm to the touch, even though Hendrik didn't put any heat sources near it. He supposes there is a possibility that someone came in and handled the pearl, but everyone in the Bastion seems to be afraid of it.

Hendrik carries the pearl back to his cot and lays down. As strange as sleeping with a pearl sounds, the nights have been growing colder, and Hendrik has only grown lonelier. Perhaps if he holds the pearl close, he could pretend the warmth comes from another person.

\-----

Ever since that night, the destruction taking place in the Last Bastion has dwindled. Although the invisible person still occasionally breaks things, they have overall become less conspicuous. And Hendrik still talks to them. They would give Hendrik that pleasant cold sensation on his body and listen to Hendrik talk about whatever he feels safe to discuss. And the invisible person listens… At least, Hendrik likes to think they listen.

Whenever Hendrik is done talking, or becomes too tired to continue, he takes the pearl from his travel bag, unwraps it from the cloth he uses to protect it, and cuddles with it like a teddy bear. When morning comes, Hendrik puts the pearl back and takes it with him wherever he goes. Sometimes, he can feel the invisible person's presence by his side whenever Hendrik travels outside the Bastion.

It's no surprise that whenever the Bastion gets attacked, Hendrik always keeps the pearl with him. Whenever Hendrik takes the pearl with him into battle, it seems to act as a good luck charm. Sometimes, enemies freeze before him. Other times, they drop or even seem to throw their weapons. This has meant the difference between life and death multiples times, not just for Hendrik, but for his soldiers.

The upcoming assault does not seem any different from the previous ones. Hendrik prepared for it as normal, keeping his greatsword sharp and his pearl close. When he was ready, he joined the front lines with his soldiers.

Oh, how he is an idiot.

The monsters had managed to get behind Hendrik's troops, and now Hendrik and his soldiers are trapped in a pincher attack. It does not take a military genius to realize how bad this is.

"Form a circle and back up to the gates!" Hendrik shouts to his troops. "I shall draw their fire!"

Hendrik charges, pushing Obsidian to go as fast as he can. Hendrik slashes at every monster he can, relying on speed and luck to avoid getting hit. And for a while, it works. He kills monsters too fast for the melee fighters to get a hit on him, and the projectiles launched at Hendrik seem to deflect themselves away from him.

Then, it happens. An arrow strikes Hendrik's shoulder with so much force it knocks Hendrik off Obsidian. Hendrik hits the ground hard, rattling his skull. Hendrik groans and grabs his sword. He swings it at a monster in his peripheral vision, aggravating his wound. But it is not enough to stop the monsters from taking advantage of Hendrik's prone state to surround him. Even so, Hendrik refuses to stop fighting.

Hendrik gets on his knees and swings, cutting down the monsters directly in front of him. Something grabs Hendrik's hair and yanks his head back. Hendrik grits his teeth and wildly stabs behind him, only for a searing pain to slice into his throat. Hendrik's eyes widen, and he drops his sword. He collapses onto his side, clutching at his bloody neck. Blood freely spills onto the ground, creating a puddle beneath Hendrik.

Hendrik presses his hand to his wound. "Midheal." He whispers as he gathers what magic points he has in his fingertips. He can feel his blood vessels closing, but the bleeding stubbornly continues. "Midheal." Hendrik tries again. This time, the bleeding stops, but the wound does not close.

Screaming yanks Hendrik's attention to his shoulders. The monsters have penetrated the circle of soldiers, and now the soldiers have scattered, now desperately fighting for their lives. Hendrik forces himself to stand and raise his greatsword. He pants as he runs forward and kills a monster on top of a lone soldier. He doesn't stop to check on the soldier. There's too many that need to be saved.

Hendrik starts cutting a path to his soldiers, ignoring how his head feels too light. He pours all of his will into destroying monsters to compensate for how his slashes seem to be getting weaker and weaker. He must save his soldiers. He must protect the Last Bastion.

A parry nearly makes Hendrik drop his sword, but something stops it from falling and allows Hendrik to keep it in his grip. Hendrik decapitates the skeleton, making it disappear in a cloud of dust. Hendrik moves on to the next monster. Hendrik grunts as he hacks at it. His greatsword buries itself in the monster's ribcage and refuses to budge. Hendrik kicks the monster, trying to both free his sword and buy some time. For every kick Hendrik lands, the monster seems to be hit by two, even though Hendrik is the only one fighting it.

All the air leaves Hendrik's lungs in an instant. Hendrik slowly turns and sees the monster behind him pulling its bloody knife away from Hendrik. Hendrik cannot stand anymore. He falls, and the world grows dark.

\-----

Something pushes at Hendrik's body, forcing him to stir. He tries to bat the offending force away, only for his arms to drop and for the force to push at him even more.

"…ke up! Wake up!"

Hendrik cracks his eyes open. Stone walls and metal bars greet him, along with the sickly stench of rot and mildew.

"Oh, thank the spirit of the land! You're not dead yet!"

Hendrik groans as he registers the pain in his back. Sticky liquid makes his clothes cling to his skin. "Where…"

"You're in the Heliodor prison. The monsters captured you, and… and everyone else." The stranger's voice cracks.

Hendrik uses what little energy he has left to lift his head. He just manages to get a glimpse of a silhouette before his head drops back onto the stone.

"Come on, you need to heal yourself." The silhouette says. When Hendrik does not move, the silhouette grabs Hendrik's wrist with a cold grip and raises his hand. "Like this, remember?"

Hendrik tries to gather healing magic into his hand, but the spell fails.

"Come on, you can do it!"

Hendrik tries again. He cannot even draw on a single point of magic.

"Oh shit…" The silhouette mutters. "This is baaaad." Small drops of cold hit Hendrik's face as the stranger chokes on his sobs. "Come on, think!"

Hendrik's hand limply drops. It is so tempting to close his eyes, to allow himself the sleep he had denied himself so frequently in favor of pushing himself to travel, to find survivors. The silhouette's hand return's to Hendrik's and holds it up, keeping it in a cold embrace.

"Squeeze my hand if you're still alive."

Hendrik weakly squeezes. The silhouette sighs.

"I have an idea. I can… enter people, somehow. Even control them for a while. If I control you, I might be able to heal you. But… controlling people tends to hurt them. I might even kill you. But since you're already dying…"

Hendrik stares through the silhouette as he slowly processes this information.

"If you want to do it, squeeze my hand again."

Hendrik puts the last of his strength into squeezing. The silhouette leans over him, and a warm light engulfs the room. Hendrik can almost make out the figure before him. Almost.


	2. Aftermath

The metal bars before Hendrik.

He is holding the pearl.

He is freeing the prisoners.

Monsters seem to defeat themselves.

Hendrik ordering the least injured soldiers to escort everyone else to safety.

The castle.

The throne room.

His greatsword crashes down. Jasper blocks it. His terrified face is lit by an unearthly glow.

Hendrik is on his horse.

Hendrik is laying down inside a too-bright tent.

Hendrik is laying down inside a too-bright tent… Hendrik blinks. The roof of the tent remains unchanged. Hendrik looks to the side and sees several people in beds, with varying equipment surrounding them. Hendrik sits up, looking over his body. He is naked from the waist up, except for bandages that wrap around his abdomen. Hendrik gasps and feels along his back, but only feels smooth skin where the stab wound once was.

"Ah, you're awake." A doctor notes. He approaches Hendrik and stands near his bed, but keeps a considerable distance away. "How do you feel?"

"Strange." Is the only way Hendrik can describe it.

"I'm not surprised." The doctor pulls a chair up and sits down. "What's the last thing you remember?"

Hendrik groans and rubs his forehead. "Allow me a moment… I was in Heliodor's prison… I was speaking to someone…"

"Who?"

"I… do not recall… I know I had lost a great deal of blood by that point." Hendrik furrows his brows. "Did someone rescue me?"

The doctor's eyes grow wide. "Do you remember anything after that point?"

"No."

The doctor bounces his leg. "Are you sure?"

Hendrik frowns. "I do recall a few memories, but I am not certain it was not a dream."

The doctor looks away and nibbles at his lip.

"…Is there something you are not telling me?" Hendrik crosses his arms.

The doctor sighs and crosses his legs. "I have no idea what happened. One moment, there were monsters all over the Bastion, then the dark clouds dissipated, and the monsters fled. And then you were there, slaying every single monster that stayed. You… you were glowing, and… something was clearly off about you."

Hendrik's eyes widen. "The monsters managed to penetrate our defenses?!"

"Yes, but luckily the casualties were few. Though many are injured…" The doctor looks at the other patients, some of whom are chatting, or reading, or otherwise keeping themselves occupied. "You rescued several of those people, or so they said. They came back after you did."

Hendrik does remember getting them out of Heliodor City. "How many were killed?"

"Three."

Three people dead… all because of Hendrik. If it weren't for his stupidity, his failure in battle, they would still be alive. Maybe all these people wouldn't have gotten hurt, either.

"Hey. I can see you spiralling. Quit it." The doctor pokes Hendrik's arm.

Hendrik turns away from the doctor and sighs. "Where are my belongings?"

The doctor reaches under the bed and pulls out a box. "Here. Your clothes are being laundered."

Hendrik puts the box on the bed and opens it. Inside is his travel bag, shoes, and a purple orb. "Where is my greatsword?"

"I'm keeping it in a locker for the time being."

Hendrik sighs and opens the travel bag up. The pearl is still inside, in pristine condition. Hendrik puts it down, then gets his spare clothes out and puts his shirt and gloves on.

"Are you going out?" The doctor asks.

"Yes." Hendrik puts the pearl and orb in the bag, then puts his shoes and socks on.

The doctor sighs and goes to the locker. He unlocks it, then takes Hendrik's greatsword out. "I'd like to keep you under observation for a few days, but… I feel like it'd be best if you got to experience that sunshine."

\-----

Carnelian stands as soon as he sees Hendrik approaching. "There you are! I was wondering when you would awaken."

Hendrik kneels before Carnelian. "Your majesty."

"At ease." Carnelian waves his arm to the side. "You did quite well, to not only save those captured, but to also kill the source of this wretched darkness. Come, sit with me." Carnelian sits down at the table and gestures to the chair in front of him.

Hendrik sits down with him. He finds it difficult to look at Carnelian's light clothes and hair in such bright light. "I was hoping to ask you about that topic."

Carnelian raises a brow. "Go ahead, Hendrik."

Hendrik checks to make sure no one is watching, then lowers his voice. "I do not recall what happened after I was captured."

Carnelian recoils and blinks. "Truly?"

Hendrik nods. "All that I remember is speaking to somone in prison, then freeing the others, defeating the monsters, and… fighting Jasper."

Carnelian frowns. "I was hoping you could explain to me what had happened to you."

"Are you referring to the glowing?"

"Yes." Carnelian nods. "Your irises glowed, and… could I see your left hand?"

Hendrik presents his left hand to Carnelian. Carnelian slips his glove off, then stares at his bare hand.

"What is the matter, sire?" Hendrik asks.

Carnelian hands the glove to Hendrik and leans back. "This is most peculiar…"

"To what do you speak of?" Hendrik puts his glove back on.

"Yesterday, you, how should I explain this?" Carnelian strokes his chin before continuing. "Your hand glowed with the Mark of the Luminary."

Hendrik's eyes grow comically wide, and his mouth hangs open. He pulls his glove off, looks at his hand, and sees only the scars on his knuckles and a few freckles. He yanks his glove back down, then stares at Carnelian. "H-how…? What…?"

"I would not have believed it either, had I not seen it with my own eyes. There are rumors that you have become the Luminary, but your lack of a Mark proves them wrong. Now, it is anyone's guess as to what exactly happened to you."

Hendrik flexes his hand as though that will reveal the answers Hendrik needs. "Are you certain you should be discussing this matter so publically?"

"It is no secret. Just about everyone in the Bastion saw the Mark."

Hendrik frowns. "Sir, if I may, I would like for you to tell me what, exactly, happened, from the beginning of the assault."

Carnelian leans forward and takes a sip out of his mug before speaking. "From what the reports have gathered, you and several troops fell in battle and ended up getting captured by the enemy. Then, the main forces forced their way into the Last Bastion while a few stayed behind to transport you and the soldiers to the dungeons. The monsters overtook the Last Bastion and captured several civillians, though I managed to escape. Shortly after the civillians were cast into the dungeon… whatever it is that affected you yesterday took effect, and you broke everyone out. Apparently, you became much stronger during this time to the point it scared people."

"So that is why everyone is acting strange…" Hendrik mutters.

"Indeed. You ordered the able-bodied soldiers to escort those that could not fight away from Heliodor city, then apparently, and there are no eyewitness accounts of this, you managed to kill the usurper and banish the darkness. The monsters fled from the Bastion, you came back, and killed those that lingered. Then, you… drank a whole bottle of beer in one sitting, ate an entire wedge of cheese, and passed out. It was rather anticlimatic."

"…I see." This does not stir up any memory in Hendrik. "What happened after that?"

"We took you to the hospital. At that point, the glowing had ceased. Then, those captured returned, and most went to the hospital, as well."

"And what of those that died?"

"We buried them up the mountain. I could have someone show you, if you would like."

Hendrik shakes his head. "I will find their graves myself."

"As you wish. Do you have any other questions."

"No. I would like to be dismissed, now."

"Dismissed."

\-----

Hendrik ignores the trail of whispers that follow in his wake as he treks up the mountain. It does not take him long to find the graves just before the drawbridge. Three freshly-dug graves rest before Hendrik. Hendrik kneels before them, careful not to disturb the soil.

"I am sorry." Hendrik tells the wooden gravemarkers. "I failed to protect you three. You should be with your family and friends, not…" Hendrik thickly swallows. "When the flowers return, I will lay some on your graves. All of your graves."

Hendrik can't cry. But goddess, how he wants to.

He digs the pearl out of his bag and unwraps it. He takes his glove off and runs his thumb across the warm surface. The pearl pulses with familiar warmth, bringing some comfort to Hendrik. Hendrik's shoulders shake, and his head hangs. His hair creates a curtain around his face, hiding it from the world.

A familiar cold wraps itself around Hendrik's body, most prominently pressing into Hendrik's back. Hendrik lays his hand over a cold spot, allowing his hand to become engulfed in the cold.

"Thank you." Hendrik smiles sadly. "I needed this."

The invisible person, as usual, does not reply.

"Three have died during the last assault, and countless others have been injured." Hendrik explains. "I was even captured, though I somehow escaped. I do not remember how I did so."

The cold presses into Hendrik.

"I wish I could have saved them." Hendrik says, looking at the graves. "If I had not fallen in battle, perhaps they would still be among the living…"

The pearl grows a little warmer. Hendrik brings it to his chest and clutches it with both hands.

"I know regret will not help anyone, but…" Hendrik rapidly blinks. "I cannot help it."

The cold slides up and down Hendrik's arm. Hendrik pats it, then stands up.

"I barely knew you three. But even so, I will miss you. I shall do all I can to remember you."

\-----

Once those wounded have recovered, a party is thrown, complete with the loudest instruments they could find. Hendrik is glad that spirits have been lifted, but at the same time, he hates how loud everything is. How he's expected to constantly socialize.

Hendrik grabs a bottle of beer from an open crate and carries it to an isolated area. He pops the cap off with his hand and takes a swig. Then, he rests his hand on top of the bottle and lets it sit on his knee. The people have stopped being afraid of Hendrik for the most part, but Hendrik would rather not have to repeat that no, he doesn't know why he had the Mark of the Luminary, so stop asking. Hendrik takes another drink. A presence settles next to Hendrik. Hendrik turns, but sees no one.

"I take it you do not like parties either." Hendrik swirls his beer around, keeping a careful eye on it. "I made you a present." Hendrik digs around in his bag and pulls out a simple wooden wagon. He sets it down in front of the presence.

The wagon rolls back and forth.

Hendrik smiles and takes another sip. "I hope you enjoy it. I am afraid my whittling skills have weakened from lack of use."

The invisible person keeps playing with the wagon.

"I will take that as an expression of gratitude." Hendrik covers his drink and looks out with a sigh. "I will have to speak to his majesty once this party is over. I do not know why."

The wagon stops.

"I am afraid I do not have much to say about the topic. All I know is that I should limit my drinking in preparation."

The wagon rolls after a minute.

"Do you want my bottle cap?" Hendrik holds out the bottle cap.

The bottle cap floats above Hendrik's hand for a moment before falling back. It floats, then falls. Floats, falls. Hendrik sighs and places it on top of the wagon. That seems to satisfy the invisible person, and they start rolling the wagon around again.

Hendrik drinks again. "I suppose I will be spending the party with you. You are far quieter than those celebrating, and I am grateful for that."

Cold gathers at Hendrik's shoulder for a moment before leaving, and Hendrik smiles.

\-----

Hendrik enters the royal tent and bows before Carnelian.

"Rise." Carnelian orders.

Hendrik stands. "You wished to speak with me, sire?"

"There is a matter I wish to discuss with you. Tell me, have you seen any sign of the Luminary?"

"No. You would be the first person I would tell if I found any evidence as to his location."

Carnelian sighs. "I had thought that to be the case. Well, no matter. I called you in here because I have an order for you. I want you to venture out and find the Luminary, and then bring him here."

Hendrik blinks. "I do not mean to disrespect you or your authority, but I have already stated that I have found no sign of him."

"Do not worry. I have a lead for you to follow. The late King of Dundrasil once spoke of a sacred place, a holy mountain in the south known as Pang Lai. The fate of those who dwell there is deeply intertwined with that of the Luminary, or so he said. It may be mere hearsay -- a conversation half-remembered -- but if it is true, you may yet be able to find the Luminary."

Hendrik frowns and strokes his chin. "How are the people of Pang Lai connected to the Luminary?"

"I do not know. The relationship between them and Heliodor has always been a tumultous one. When you encounter the people living there, be careful. They may not take well to a knight of Heliodor on their doorstep."

"Thank you for the warning, my liege." Hendrik bows at the waist. "Will I be leaving immediately, or on a set date?"

"Take what time you need to prepare, then set out as soon as you are ready."

"Understood. I will begin preparation right away." Hendrik turns around.

"Wait!" Carnelian picks up a large object off the bed and holds it out to Hendrik. "Hendrik, there is something I wish you to have."

Hendrik gasps. "Th-the Shield of Heliodor! B-but, sire!"

"You are like a son to me. And it is a father's duty to prepare his offspring for the dangers that await them. You will have need of it. I am sure." Carnelian pushes the shield into Hendrik's hands. "Go on. Equip it."

Hendrik takes the shield and straps it around his arm. He experimentally lifts his arm up and holds it in front of his body. Carnelian watches him with a satisfied smile.

"You wear it well. The Shield has always been the mark of our mightiest knights. There can be none worthier than the Hero of Heliodor. You have no complaints, I trust?" Carnelian says in a tone that leaves no room for arguments.

"No, my liege!" Hendrik automatically agrees.

"Excellent!" Carnelian smiles. "Now, one last matter: do you still have the cursed pearl?"

"Yes." Hendrik didn't feel like reminding Carnelian that the pearl is not cursed, it's just the work of Hendrik's invisible prankster friend.

"Good. Now, while its… antics have died down for the most part, the civillians and soldiers alike still fear it and its curse. I would like for you to take it with you, for their sake."

"Of course." Hendrik was going to take it with him anyway. "Is that all?"

Carnelian takes a piece of paper. "I have written directions to Pang Lai for your convenience. May your journey be a safe one."

"Thank you, sir." Hendrik bows, then leaves the tent. As soon as he steps off the platform, he finds the little wooden wagon with a bottle cap on top. Hendrik picks both up, then goes to his tent and sets both on the desk. A presence stands by Hendrik. "So you followed me."

The wagon gets nudged into a short roll, as if the invisible person is confirming it.

"Would I be correct in assuming you heard our conversation?"

The wagon stays still.

"I will take that as a no." Hendrik starts sorting the contents of his bag. "I will be leaving soon, on behalf of the king's orders. I do not know when I shall return."

The wagon rolls so fast it drops off the desk and bounces off the ground, landing near Hendrik.

"You need to be careful." Hendrik says as he picks the wagon up and puts it back on the desk. "I will not make you a replacement."

The wagon rolls off the desk again, but this time Hendrik catches it and puts it back.

"I am not joking. There is a limit to the amount of bullshit I am willing to put up with."

The wagon rolls towards Hendrik again, stopping just short of falling. It does not roll again.

Hendrik furrows his brows. "I do not understand."

The wagon rolls just enough to fall again. Hendrik catches it and sets it back on the desk.

"Do you… want me to take the wagon with me?"

The wagon rolls forward ever so slightly.

"But it is your wagon."

The wagon rolls.

"I see." Hendrik frowns. "Do you want me to take your bottle cap as well?"

The wagon rolls.

"…I suppose I could make room for them."


	3. Soldiers of Smile

When Hendrik ended up seeing the gates of the L'Academie, he knew His Majesty's directions had led him astray. Hendrik would beat his head against one of the stone pillars surrounding the gate if he weren't worried about getting a concussion. He cares deeply for his king, but he hates how Carnelian's handwriting is nearly unintelligible.

Hendrik takes a deep breath and guides Obsidian south. No use getting worked up about this. Perhaps he could spend the night in Phnom Nonh. He could ask the people for clues as to the Luminary's location. If nothing else, he could see the lanterns and that strange mural everyone talks about.

Hendrik sits up straight and crosses a bridge. A green beast comes into view. Hendrik squints his eyes, and only then does he see the frigtened man before it. Hendrik doesn't hesitate to draw his sword… only for parade music to start playing. He, the monster, and the man all look around for the source of the noise. The monster looks up and behind it, inadvertently pointing out a large float with LED lights and gaudy feathers on a plateau, surrounded by brightly-colored people in feathers. The float abruptly moves, making Hendrik realize that what he thought was part of the float was actually a person dressed like a peacock standing atop it.

"Oh no you don't, honey! Not unless you want to carry those claws home in a bag!" The person on the float strikes a dramatic pose, flaring their fan out and making Hendrik doubt his sanity.

The monster turns back to the man and raises its claws. The man gasps and crawls backwards.

"Well, don't say I didn't warn you…" The person on the float mutters.

Hendrik charges at the monster at the same time the person leaps off the float. They end up reaching the monster first, cutting into it with two deadly fans. Hendrik has to yank his horse to the side and raise his sword at the last minute to avoid accidentally killing the parader.

The monster gives out a yowl as it collapses into dust. Then, the parader strikes another pose, and their buddies climb down the cliff to join their side.

"Sylvia darling, you were fabulous! So fierce!"

"Fierce doesn't even begin to describe it! You were ferocious! Grrr!"

While Sylvia's adoring fans heap praise onto her, Hendrik sheathes his blade and dismounts Obsidian. He stomps up to Sylvia, shoulders tense and jaw clenched. When Sylvia sees him, she gasps.

"What were you thinking, acting so recklessly?! Had I not reacted in time, I could have decapitated you!" Hendrik shouts at Sylvia.

"Hey! Leave her alone!" One of Sylvia's fellow paraders gets in Hendrik's face, or tries to. It is rather hard for them, given that they are eye level with Hendrik's chest. "She's the best person in the whole wide world!"

"Darling, please." Sylvia takes him by the shoulders and gently moves him out of the way. "I appreciate the thought, but he didn't mean it that way. Right?" Sylvia looks at Hendrik.

"What way do you mean?" Hendrik asks.

"I mean you didn't really mean to be such a meanie like my little fisherman thought. You were just worried about little old me. How am I doing?" Sylvia flashes him a smile.

Hendrik looks away and blushes. "…You are correct."

Sylvia giggles adorably. She moves to strike another pose, but she suddenly lurches, clutching her chest. Her paraders gasp and gather around her, asking a million questions a minute. Then, she rubs her arms and shudders.

"What was that?" Sylvia wonders out loud.

Oh no, Hendrik may have hurt Sylvia after all. "Do you feel any pain?"

"Nope." Sylvia sighs, standing up straight. She stretches her arms, popping her joints.

The man from earlier walks up and raises his hand. "E-excuse me…"

"Oh honey, I'm so sorry! I forgot all about you! Are you okay? You're not hurt, are you?" Sylvia bends down, looking the man over.

The man scratches the back of his head. "No, no. I am not -- thanks to you. You are… more strong than you appear…" The man clears his throat, light pink dusting his cheeks. "My name is Da. I come from Phnom Nonh in the south. and if it were not for your help, I would not be returning there. Thank you."

"Oh, you're heading home?" Sylvia blinks. "Then we better go with you! Can't have you getting attacked again now, can we, hm?"

"I shall escort you to town as well." Hendrik volunteers.

"Ooh, how wonderful!" Sylvia smiles and clasps her hands together. "We can have more people in our little band of smiles!"

"I did not say I would join your parade."

"Aw, come on. We would love to have you." Sylvia turns to Hendrik and leans towards him. "I'm sure we can find a nice costume for you. What do you say?"

"I will not be able to stay. I have an important mission I must see through."

"That's okay!" Sylvia smiles. "It can only be for today, if you want."

Hendrik sighs. "If I do this, will you refrain from jumping in my way whenever I fight a monster?"

"Pinky promise." Sylvia holds her pinky out to Hendrik.

"Very well. I shall… go along with this." Hendrik hesitantly agrees, ignoring the offered pinky.

Sylvia doesn't seem to be phased by Hendrik's inaction and puts her hand down. "Oh, Teeeetsuuuuu! I don't suppose you have a costume for my new friend, do you?"

A blonde man scrambles over to Hendrik at light speed. He takes Hendrik's measurements before Hendrik can object, then pulls a chest out of his back pocket. He starts going through it, leaving clothes on the lid and edges. He eventually pulls out a purple clown costume and displays it for the world to see.

"I will not wear that." Hendrik flat-out refuses.

"But it's the only thing that's even close to your size!" Tetsu pouts.

"I will not participate in your parade if that is what you are going to make me wear." Hendrik tells Sylvia.

"Ah ah ah, you said you would do it." Sylvia smirks, wagging her finger. "After all, a knight's word is his bond." She deepens her voice for emphasis.

Hendrik grits his teeth so hard he swears he can hear them squeak. "Must I dress up as a clown and make a fool of myself?"

"Yes!" Everyone around him says at once.

Hendrik grumbles and rips the costume from Tetsu's hands. Then, he stomps off into the bushes.

\-----

As the cacophony of noise blares directly into Hendrik's ears, he starts regretting every single decision in his life that led him to this moment. It doesn't help that every so often, someone would run forward and squeak his large blue nose. He swears that every so often, he could hear the wind laugh at him.

And not only that, the noise seems to have attracted some irritable monsters. Hendrik draws his sword and glances behind to make sure Da is safe. Sylvia leaps off the float again, this time landing next to Hendrik. She brandishes her rapier and carefully watches the monsters. After a moment, the monsters charge… only to be set on fire and die instantly.

Confusion falls over everyone, causing Hendrik and Sylvia to look around. The paraders don't seem to know who casted the spell. Hendrik looks at Da, who only shrugs.

"Who casted that?" Sylvia asks. No one responds. "You're not in trouble. I just want to know who."

Still, no one responds. Hendrik feels something approach from behind, but when he turns around, there's nothing there. Hendrik slowly sheathes his sword, keeping an eye out for any potential threats. Sylvia jumps back onto her float, and that is the end of that strange encounter.

\-----

Hendrik thought the parade would quiet down once they reached town, but they have only increased their volume since they started performing for the town. If only Hendrik weren't being forced to entertain this crowd on Sylvia's behalf, then maybe he could take refuge in the inn.

…Granted, it is fun to 'pull' coins out from behind children's ears and watch their faces light up. And his knot-tying skills do come in handy with making balloon animals. Perhaps if Hendrik had lived a different life, one filled with less trauma, then maybe he would have made a decent clown.

When there's a lull, Hendrik takes a seat on a bench. Now that the children aren't crowding around him begging for more magic tricks, Hendrik can see that there are far less people than there should be in a town this size. Could they be hiding? Hendrik supposes that if they are, then they're likely scared of the parade. Hendrik doesn't blame them. It's better to be safe than sorry, especially in these dark times.

Though… there is a distinct lack of Sylvia. Hendrik didn't see where she went, since he stopped by the item shop for some testosterone cream as soon as he had escorted Da to the city limits. He should go look for her. Make sure she isn't doing anything that can get her killed.

Hendrik pushes himself to his feet and approaches the nearest parader, a dancer. "Excuse me, did you see where Sylvia went?" Hendrik shouts to be heard above the noise.

"I think she followed Da!" The dancer shouts.

"Where did they go?!"

"That way!" They point to the stairs leading up the city.

Hendrik leaves them to go up the stairs. He keeps looking as he passes the several stalls lining the narrow streets. Still no Sylvia here. Hendrik keeps going higher, eventually coming to a level with the church. And yet, Sylvia is nowhere to be found.

"Sylvia! Where are you?" Hendrik calls out, only to be met with silence.

A presence at Hendrik's side tugs at his sleeve, then backs off. 

Hendrik looks, but all he sees is a house. "Sylvia?" He tries again. Still, no answer.

Hendrik tentatively approaches the house. When he stops outside the door, he can hear voices inside. He knocks on the door. Moments later, it opens, and Hendrik comes face-to-face with Sylvia.

"Oh! Hey there, honey." Sylvia smiles once she processes Hendrik.

"Hello." Hendrik clears his throat. "I wanted to ensure you were still alive."

Sylvia smiles and tucks a rogue lock of hair behind her ear. "Why, thank you."

Someone shoves past Hendrik and Sylvia without any regard for them. "Da! You are okay? You are not hurt?" He approaches Da and looks him over as Da turns his nose at him. "Oh, what a relief! I was fearing the worst for you! Especially after little Son is gone missing, you know…"

"Your boy is missing?" Sylvia gasps, getting a crease between her brows. "Oh, honey…"

"Hmph. Where that selfish child chooses to go is none of my concern." Da gets up and storms off, leaving Hendrik, Sylvia, and the redhead in his house unattended.

"You must forgive him." The redhead says. "His wife died recently, you know, and now his son is gone missing. It is very hard for him."

"Still, he should not act so callously towards his own son, even if he is not around to hear it." Hendrik deeply frowns, thinking about the implications about Da's attitude.

"Do you know where he might be?" Sylvia asks the redhead.

The redhead sighs. "Do you know of the monster Avarith?"

Sylvia shakes her head.

"She is a pink dragon, highly talented in magic. She appeared in the village with her foul friends soon after Yggdrasil fell and the darkness came. We were paralyzed with fear, and could nor run away… Then she gathered us all in the square… 'Give me your valuables', she said. 'Tell me what is most precious to you. I will protect it.'" His lip trembles, and he takes on a thousand-yard stare. "People were so scared, they obeyed her withour thinking." He turns around, hugging himself. "Da gave her his wife's necklace. Ever since… he has treated Son like…" The redhead rubs at his eyes and looks over his shoulder. "She stole it, just like she kidnapped all those people. Son may have gone after her."

Sylvia keeps her hands clasped together throughout the story. "That's just awful…" Then, she abruptly stomps her foot and growls. "If there's one thing I hate, it's people that hurt children! Don't worry, honey, we're going to find Son and rescue all those people. I swear it!"

The redhead turns to fully face Sylvia. "Really? But Avarith is very strong… Very powerful…"

Sylvia chuckles. "Oh, it'll take more than a cowardly kidnapper to stop me! I won't let you down. You know what they say: a knight's word is his bond!"

"A knight?" Hendrik strokes his beard. "Hmm…"

Mony smiles in relief. "Avarith went south with everyone and everything she stole. She has a lair there, I think…"

Sylvia nods and turns to Hendrik. "Then let's get after her! We've got an evildoer to punish!"

\-----

Hendrik assumed that Sylvia and her band would stop making as much noise as humanly possible as they set out to Avarith's lair, but it seems he had hoped for too much. Now he can kiss any chance of catching Avarith unaware goodbye. At least Sylvia finally thought to give him earplugs.

"Come on, Henny! Dance with us!" Sylvia laughs, spinning around.

"No!"

"Suit yourself!" Sylvia keeps dancing as though nothing happened.

Hendrik keeps walking, watching out for ambushes. He spots some movement in the corner of his eye, and when he focuses on it, a little boy comes out from behind a rock.

"Wooow! Your parade looks fun! Where are you going?"

Sylvia holds her hand up. "Hi there, little one! We're just off to hunt down the horrible, nasty monster who's been kidnapping people from the village!"

Hendeik softens his expression and gets down on one knee. The boy immediately reaches for Hendrik's nose. Hendrik bats his hand away. "Is your father named Da, by any chance?"

The boy nods.

"So you were not abducted?" Hendrik furrows his brows. "Then what are you doing in such a dangerous place? Your father is worried about you."

"Hmph!" Son turns his nose at Hendrik, looking exactly like Da in the process. "My father does not care for me! He cares for my mother's necklace more than anything else! He told the monsters so!" Son bows his head, now looking like the child he is. "I thought he would say I was the most precious thing to him… it made me very sad…" Then, Son lifts his head up to look straigtt at Hendrik. "So I decided to follow the monsger and get the necklace back for him! Then he will see that I am worth something! But…" Son pauses. "Then I strayed too far from the village and became scared, so… I stopped here to hide."

Hendrik stands up. "What your father said was upsetting, I am sure. But this is no place for a child. Come, we will return you to your village."

"No!" Son shouts, determination dripping from his voice. "If you are going after the monster, I am coming with you! I have to get my mother's necklace back!"

Hendrik groans, rubbing his forehead and shaking his head. How is he possibly going to babysit Son while rescuing the townspeople?

Sylvia climbs down from the float and claps Hendrik on the back. "Oh, don't be such a spoilsport, Hendrik! We'll look after the little darling! And besides, he'll be safer with us than out here on his own."

Hendrik sighs. "Very well. But the boy is your responsibility."

Son smiles. "Thank you, thank you! I will be useful to you, I promise! The monsger went that way! There is a cave on the cape where she is hiding!"

Sylvia strikes a dramatic pose. "You heard him, everybody! Let's go teach that dirty bandit a lesson!"

Son and the band cheer, while Hendrik throws his hands up in exasperation. This is turning out to be one long day.

\-----

Hendrik and Sylvia enter the cave alone, with the band staying back with Son. A pink dragon with a staff, a hat, and glasses faces them. Hendrik sighs and glances at Sylvia, who stares dead at the dragon.

"Ahhh! Tho you are finally here! I had heard your little band coming up here! I muth thay, thith ith a thrurprithe. Not many humanth wander in here of their own accord." The dragon sneers at them. She must be Avarith.

Sylvia leans over and whispers to Hendrik. "Allow me to do the talking, darling." Then, she stands up straight and points her closed fan at Avarith. "Avarith, you fiend!" Sylvia spits out. "You are going to give back what you've taken, and let all the people of the village go! And you are going to do it now!"

…This is not how negotiations are supposed to go.

"Heh heh heh! Tho that ith why you are here. You humanth and your heroic nonthenth!" Avarith shakes her head. "Thill, I thuppose you have shown a lot of courage cominf here. Very well. Letth thay I do give everything back… Itth not going to happen for free. You're going to have to give me thomething to thweeten the deal."

Huh. So Sylvia didn't instantly ruin everything after all. She tilts her head to the side and hums in curiosity.

"How about… your motht valuee pothethion?" Avarith leans forward and extends her open hand towarss Hendrik, palm towards the sky. "That theenth like a fair trade, wouldn't you thay?"

Hendrik blinks. Is Avarith really addressing him? He supposes if he had to, he'd be willing to part with his token of fealty to save the lives of the townspeople…

"Wait!" Sylvia shoots her arm out in front of Hendrik. "If you wish to make a deal, fiend, you must make it with me!" She returns her arm to her hip while clutching her fan close to her chest with a small smile. "I have something for you! Something soft and warm and… fragrant. Something I just know you are going to love!"

That immediately gets Avarith's attention. "Ooh, what ith it, what ith ut? It thoungth amazing! I have to thee it right now! Hand it over, hand it over!" Avarith excitedly babbles.

Sylvia's smile grows a little wider as she pulls something out of her sack. She holds it before her, using her open fan to cover it as she approaches Avarith. "With pleasure." Sylvia puts the thing in Avarith's hand. "I do hope it brings you joy."

Avarith closes her eyes and brings her hand to her face. "Let me thee, let me thee!" She takes one whiff of it, and her eyes shoot open. "Urrrgh! What ith that awful thmell?!"

A light, happy-go lucky jingle plays, courtesy of one of the band's musicians that had snuck into the room while Sylvia and Avarith were talking. Hendrik strains his eyes, then lets out a gasp. Several brown, stinking clods of horse shit peppered with hay rest in Avarith's hand. Avarith throws the shit to the ground as hard as she can. The musician starts playing ominous dance music.

"You…! YOU!" Avarith shakes with blind fury as she points her staff at Sylvia. "Do you think thith ith thome kind of joke?!"

Sylvia has the audacity to sway her hips and start dancing. "Aww, don't you like it, honey?" She sing-songs, making her band laugh in the background. "I chose it especially for you! Tee hee!" As if she couldn't get any more mocking, she sings out a little tune as she turns around and shakes her ass at Avarith, ruffling her feathers side to side.

Avarith roars at the sheer guts/stupidity/ridicule Sylvia is displaying. "You'll pay for thith! Avarith will not be mocked by a thilly, jumped-up little human! Maybe THITH will teach you a letthon!" Avarith swings her staff and casts a spell on both Sylvia and Hendrik. Hendrik feels the tell-tale locking of his voice inside his throat and instantly knows he's been fizzled. "Don't bother begging for merthy! Your liveth are mine now -- and I'm not giving them back!"


	4. Too Much In One Day

Hendrik and Sylvia draw their respective swords and take on fighting stances. Avarith is facing them, head turned to the side as her eye stares down at them. The music-playing parader is still going, intently watching the upcoming fight. Hendrik takes a moment to consider his strategy before deciding to fight wisely.

"Stopping us from using magic?!" Sylvia whispershouts. "That's just plain rude, darling!"

Hendrik shoots Sylvia a look. Sylvia purses her lips, then focuses her attention on Avarith. Hendrik inhales through his nose, exhales through his mouth, then the fight begins. Hendrik starts off by raising his greatsword and slashing at Avarith. Avarith grunts and raises her staff.

"Kasizz!"

A pillar of fire travels across the ground and rips through Hendrik and Sylvia. The blaze singes Hendrik, but thankfully he doesn't catch fire. Still, that was a powerful spell.

"Kabuff!" A blue light surrounds Avarith, condensing into a gas that surrounds her.

Sylvia quickly puts out a small fire on her clothes, then leaps forward and opens her mouth wide. "Time to fight fire with fire!" Three bursts of fire spew out of her mouth in quick succession.

Avarith hits Sylvia with her staff, knocking her back, then waves it in the air. "Kasnooze!"

Bubbles float around Hendrik, and with each pop, Hendrik grows more lethargic. His eyes droop shut, and he slumps over, letting the tip of his sword touch the ground. But seemingly moments later, something cold rapidly flicks across- no, through Hendrik's face. Hendrik snorts, only for something very firm and very painful to strike him across the face. Hendrik reels back and clutches his cheek. He witnesses Avarith strike Sylvia with her staff.

Sylvia is quick to attack right back. She stabs her sword between Avarith's scales, only for her rapier to bounce off. Hendrik lifts his greatsword and gives Sylvia's idea a try. He chops into Avarith, aiming between her scales. The sword manages to leave a cut on Avarith's flesh and lift a scale upwards.

"Kasizzle!"

Another burst of flame travels out, further burning the duo. Hendrik gets burnt more badly this time, but what truly brings Hendrik to a critical status is an even stronger kasizzle. It knocks Hendrik back from the sheer force of the spell, completely burning Hendrik's pant legs and setting his legs on fire.

"Shit shit shit shit shit!" Hendrik flails his legs around in a desperate attempt to put out the fire. This isn't good. He can't cast healing spells. Not with him being fizzled.

"Stop, drop, and roll!" Sylvia shouts as loud as she can through the fizzle spell.

Hendrik rolls on the ground as fast he can. He can't tell when the fire is extinguished. Not with how much his burns hurt. 

A cool sensation washes over Hendrik's legs, contrasting with the burns and mellowing them down. Hendrik stops rolling. His legs are now free from those painful burns. He catches a glimpse of Avarith looking at him and tilting her head to the side before Sylvia slashes at the weak spot Hendrik created.

Avarith cries out in pain as she clutches the now-widened wound. "You filthy little humanth! You think you can get away with thith?!"

"You're the one who's been kidnapping people, darling!" Sylvia retorts, a little louder than at the beginning of the battle.

"They agreed to come with me! Why elthe would they be here?!" Avarith gestures to the people in cages with her staff, causing them to gasp and shrink back in fear.

Hendrik grits his teeth and stands, holding his greatsword high. "Do you honestly think that is an excuse for what you have done?! I swear on my honor as a knight of Heliodor-"

"YOU'RE A FUCKING CLOWN!!!!"

Hendrik takes another look at his outfit. All of a sudden, he experiences a wave of embarassment so strong that Hendrik has no choice but to hide his face and stay stock still. Avarith charges at him, but Hendrik cannot move a muscle. Right as Avarith's staff comes down over his head, a burst of light flashes out, and nothing happens to Hendrik. Hendrik risks a peek through his fingers. Avarith tries attacking again, only to flub her attack on a stationary person.

Wow. That's… that makes Hendrik feel a lot better. He lets his hands drop from his face and go back to his sword. Then, he swings. His blow breaks through Avarith's magical armor, piercing scales and drawing blood.

"You… vermin!" Avarith screams. "You filthy, dirty cheat! That wath a trick!"

Apparently, Sylvia's tired of listening to Avarith talk, because she doesn't waste any time with conversation. She stabs Avarith in the back, making Avarith lurch forward. Avarith moves to hit Sylvia back, but for some reason, she does not lift her staff.

"Wh, what…?" Avarith looks at her twitching arm. "Why can't I…?"

Hendrik plunges his greatsword into Avarith's belly. Avarith's eyes grow wide, and she stares at Hendrik's sword with plain horror. Hendrik yanks his sword out, and Avarith collapses with a gasp, beginning to fade into dust before she even hits the ground, leaving behind a considerable pile of gold coins. Hendrik and Sylvia sheathe their swords as the music-playing parader plays a short victory tune.

Hendrik takes a deep breath, and just like that, he feels himself growing a little stronger. He allows himself to feel a little bit of pride as he mentally tallies his improvements. Then, he picks up increased strength in someone else, and frowns. No matter how much he looks, he cannot tell who else has gotten stronger. Sylvia was the only other person to fight Avarith, and she doesn't seem to be showing any improvements in fighting technique or anything.

Speaking of which, Sylvia takes her helmet off and wipes her brow, then shakes her head so that her curly hair fluffs out. Hendrik's breath catches in his throat. She… she looks so…

"Ha!" Sylvia stands up straight. "That's what you get for being a nasty, greedy girl!" She poses once again, and at the same time, Son runs up.

"Everybody!" Son shouts loud enough for everyone in the room to hear. "Are yoy okay? You are not hurt?"

Rigt at that moment, the enchantment keeping the cages shut lifts, and the people of Phnom Nonh walk out, laughing and sighing with relief. A woman crouches down in front of Son and cups his cheek.

"We are fine thanks to you, or brave little Son!" The woman has a big smile on her face. "Avarith only kept us prisoner, she did not hurt us."

Son chuckles and nervously scratches the back of his head as the woman gets up.

"You saved us…" An old woman approaches Hendrik and Sylvia. "I… I do not know how to thank you…"

Sylvia bends at the hip and waves her fan at the old woman. "Fair maiden, a smile will more than suffice!"

The old woman laughs and nods.

As soon as Son has ensured that everyone truly is okay, he dashes to one of Avarith's loot piles. He frantically digs through the gold coins, then finally, he holds up his prize. "Here it is! My mother's necklace! Oh, but…" A piece of the necklace falls off, hitting the gold with a clink. "No! It is broken! I cannot take this back to my father! It will only make him more sad…"

"Of, of course it won't, you silly boy!" Sylvia crouches down next to Son. "Didn't your daddy ever tell you it's the thought that counts? It could be smashed to pieces, and you'd still be his little hero!"

Son lets out a gasp at the revelation. Then, he smiles and nods. Sylvia gives him a knowing look, then stands up. She turns on her heel, then takes one look at Hendrik and gasps, covering her mouth.

"Oh, honey! Your costume!"

Hendrik looks down. His sleeves, legs, and part of the front have been burnt off, showing a great deal of skin, including a single nipple. Hendrik quickly covers his exposed chest with his hand and blushes. He suddenly becomes aware of everyone's eyes on him, boring into his skin.

Sylvia whips out a towel and wraps it around Hendrik. "Don't you worry. I have got you covered!"

Hendrik just looks away in embarassment.

"All of you go on ahead. We will catch up." Sylvia tells to the paraders and former prisoners. "Toodaloo!"

The paraders laugh and cheer as they escort the townspeople out of the cave. Once Sylvia and Hendrik are alone, Sylvia lets go of the blanket and steps away, turning her back to Hendrik.

"Do you still have your clothes?" Sylvia asks.

"Assuming that they did not get destroyed in the fight, then yes." Hendrik starts digging through his stuff.

"Good. Tell me when you've gotten changed." Sylvia says without turning.

Hendrik watches her for a moment, then puts his bag on the ground and pulls out the pearl, wrapped in cloth. Hendrik unwraps it, inspects the pearl, and sighs in relief. The pearl appears to be undamaged, and is as shiny and warm as ever. Hendrik rewraps it and tucks it back into the bag, then starts the process of changing.

"You do realize that the point of negotiation is to AVOID enraging the other party, do you not?" Hendrik brings up.

"She was not going to be honest! She tried to pull the same trick on you as she did on the people of Phnom Nonh!" Sylvia retorts.

Alright, Hendrik can see where she's coming from. "But was the horse shit necessary?"

"Noooo, but it was hilarious."

"You handled it with your bare hands!" Hendrik shouts as he pulls his turtleneck down. "And I did not see you carrying it before then, which means you must have been carrying it in your pocket or bag for some period of time."

"Urk!" Sylvia's cringe can be felt, even by Hendrik's autistic mind.

"…Now that I think about it, you implied that it was fresh. Wh-"

"Stooooop!" Sylvia bends forwards and shakes her feathers side to side.

Hendrik smirks just a little. He finishes putting his normal clothes on, then puts his bag back on and stands up. "You may look now."

Sylvia stops shaking and slowly turns, feathers forcing her to fully face Hendrik in order to see him. Her face is bright red, with her hands ineffectively hiding the blush that has already travelled to her ears and neck. Then, she slowly shuffles forward, eventually joining Hendrik. Hendrik starts walking out the cave, with Sylvia doing anything but looking at him.

\-----

By the time they regroup with the others, Sylvia has recovered enough to announce her presence in the most boisterous way possible before leaping onto the parade float and dancing like her life depends on it. Hendrik shakes his head, then walks to the side of the parade.

Even now, he can tell that everyone's leering at him. Hendrik hugs himself and bows his head as he tries to ignore the stares. He pays no mind to the person next to him, who suddenly lurches and almost trips with a pained grunt. Hendrik disregards the others who do the same, too wrapped up in his own shame to acknowledge anything else. Even when people stop staring at him, Hendrik cannot shake that heavy feeling.

"We're heeeere, darlings!" Sylvia announces with a powerful pose as she lifts her fist to the town.

The townspeople cheer and run forward. The people already in town crawl out of the woodwork to crowd around their rescused family and friends. Hendrik can't help but smile at the sight. He sees Sylvia crouch in front of Son and say something Hendrik cannot hear over the crowd and blaring instruments. Then, they walk away together. After a moment, Hendrik decides to follow to ensure Son gets home safely. It has nothing to do with Sylvia's beauty. Not at all.

Sylvia glances over her shoulder, smiles, then continues walking. "I see someone's decided to join us."

Son turns to stare at Hendrik with wide eyes. "You… look a lot different without…"

"I know." Hendrik comes to walk on Son's other side.

They all go up the steps together. Hendrik keeps a close eye on Son, just in case he slips and falls, but he seems to be perfectly fine. It's only when they get to the door of Son's house does he hesitate.

"What's wrong, little one?" Sylvia bends at the waist to ask.

"It… it is just…" Son gingerly lifts up the necklace.

"I believe he would rather have part of the necklace than none at all." Hendrik reassures him.

"But the necklace is broken. My father will be so angry when he sees it…"

"Don't be silly, honey." Sylvia gives Son a warm smile. "How could he possibly be mad to see you back safe and sound, hm? Just go and talk to him. We'll be right behind you!"

"If your father becomes angry enough to resort to violence, I shall protect you with my life." Hendrik adds.

Son takes a deep breath and nods. "…Alright. I am scared, but… I will do it."

Son pushes the doors wide open. Da is sitting at a table when he sees Son and gasps, sitting up straight.

"Hello, father…" Son hesitantly walks forward and presents the necklace. "I brought mother's necklace back from the lair of the beast for you, but… it… It is broken…"

"You… you did what?!" Da abruptly stands and clenches his fist, shaking it in the air. "FOOLISH CHILD!"

Son flinches and bows his head. Hendrik steps into the doorway, hand already on his sword and partially drawing it. Then, a moment passes.

Da drops his fist. "You…" Da falls to his knees and grasps Son's shoulders. "You could have been killed, and then where would I be, hm? Without you, my most treasured possession!" Da chokes out. He embraces Son in a big hug.

"B-but… you said that Mother's necklace was your most treasured possession…"

"I said it, but I did not mean it! How could I?" Da breaks the hug, but he keeps his hands on Son's shoulders. "Don't you see? I did not trust the monster, so I said a lie! I lied because I wanted to protect you!"

"R-really?" Son's voice cracks a little. "I, I… I thought you did not care about me… I… I am so sorry… You must have been so worried…" Da pets the top of Son's head while he cries.

Hendrik takes a step back and sheathes the portion of the sword he drew. Then, he smiles to himself. "To think it was all but a misunderstanding. If only he and his father had simply been honest with one another…"

Sylvia clears her throat. "I'll see you later, okay?" Just like that, she leaves.

Before Hendrik can decipher the reason why, Son speaks again. "Father, these are…" Son tilts his head to the side. "Where is my friend with the feathers?"

"I am afraid she left." Hendrik informs them.

"Oh…" Son slumps his shoulders. "I wanted to say thank you…"

"I shall look for her." Hendrik tells Son.

Son smiles. "Thank you! I will be waiting."

…Is Hendrik supposed to say goodbye now, or is he supposed to save it for after he brings Sylvia to Son? After a few moments, he mutters a quick goodbye and speedwalks away.

\-----

Hendrik keeps his footsteps deliberately loud as he approaches Sylvia. Sylvia is standing at the edge of a cliff overlooking some ruins Hendrik cannot remember the name of. Wouldn't want to scare her so badly she falls, after all.

"If only he and his father had simply been honest with one another…" Sylvia whispers to the wind.

"Sylvia."

Sylvia gasps and whips around so fast Hendrik has a hard time tracking it. "Eek! You scared me! …How long have you been standing there?"

"Forgive me." Hendrik bows at the waist. "I did not intend to scare you. And to answer your question, I only just arrived."

Sylvia relaxes. "It… it was nice to see Son reunited with his father, eh?"

"It was." Hendrik agrees with a slight smile. "Though I thought Da was going to hit him…"

Sylvia look away. "I'm just glad it ended well. There are some bridges that will never be repaired. Some who will never see their loved ones again…"

"Son wishes to speak with you." Hendrik says after an awkward moment passes.

"He does?" Sylvia smiles a little.

"Yes. He said that he wishes to thank you."

"In that case, I'll be right down!" The gloom that seemed to be over Sylvia's head vanishes. "Can you tell my boys to grab some rooms at the inn?"

"Very well. May I escort you?"

"Yes you may." Sylvia smiles, looks down, tilts her head to the side, and blinks a few times.

Hendrik nods and walks Sylvia back to Da's house. Son perks up as soon as he sees them and hugs them both.

"Father, these are the ones who saved everybody!" Son excitedly explains.

Da smiles from ear to ear. "Well, you two are heroes! Thank you for all you have done."

Worms eat at Hendrik's insides at the name. He forces himself to take a deep breath before speaking. "Sylvia, I shall inform your troupe of your wishes."

"Ok, honey. Have fun~!" Sylvia waves to Hendrik.

Hendrik all but sprints away from the situation and straight to the plaza. A large crowd of people have gathered, likely in response to both the rescued civillians and the parade. Hendrik pushes his way through the crowd to get to the parade. The music is so loud it drowns out most else, forcing Hendrik to shout.

"Excuse me?" Hendrik raises his hand. "Sylvia wanted me to tell you to secure rooms at the inn!"

One of the dancers lean towards Hendrik. "What?!"

"I said Sylvia wants you to rent rooms!"

"What?!"

"Rent rooms at the inn!"

"You know what? I'll find you after the performance!"

Hendrik deeply frowns and backs away from the cacophony of a performance. He bumps into several people as he forces his way out of the crowd and into the inn. He shoves the doors open and collapses into the closest chair at an empty table. A waiter places a menu in front of him, then immediately leaves, presumably to give Hendrik time to decide.

Hendrik idly flips through the menu, not taking the time to process the surely-overpriced foods. However, he does ponder the drinks section. There are many alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks alike, many of which Hendrik hasn't had the chance to have since the Fall. Perhaps he could get himself a small drink, as a treat…

A presence settles next to Hendrik. Hendrik turns to look.

"Hi, what can I get you?"

Hendrik jumps and looks in the opposite direction. The same waiter as earlier stands before him, armed with a pencil and a notepad.

"Uh…" Hendrik examines the menu to find what he was going to order. "One small lemonade, please. That will be all." He closes the menu and hands it back.

The waiter leaves once again. Hendrik takes this time to dig through his belongings for his coin pouch. He sets the wooden wagon he made for… his friend on the table. All of a sudden, he feels that presence once again. It's likely just his imagination. A tactile hallucination caused by Hendrik's feelings.

Hendrik finds his prize and pours out the required amount of gold. Soon after, the waiter comes back with a small cup of lemonade, complete with ice, a straw, and a paper parasol. Hendrik smiles and takes the drink.

"May I pay at this moment?" Hendrik asks.

"Of course." The waiter shows the bill to Hendrik. Hendrik gives him the required gold, then the waiter walks off.

Hendrik only got to press the straw to his lips before several paraders burst in, somehow still full of energy after spending all day dancing and playing music while wandering around, and even carrying a float on their shoulders at certain points in the day. They immediately make a beeline for Hendrik and surround him. Hendrik sighs and covers his drink.

"Youuuuu wanted to talk to us?" One of the paraders says.

"Yes. Sylvia wished for me to pass on the message that she wants you to acquire rooms for the night."

"Ooh, I'll do that right away, don't you worry!" A gray-haired parader woth red glasses runs up the stairs while the rest stay.

"…That is all." Hendrik brings his cold drink to his chest. "You may leave me."

"But we want to hang out with you!"

"You never talked to us while we were travelling together!"

"Oh, for the love of…" Hendrik grumbles.

"What's your name, again?"

"Hendrik." Hendrik curtly answers.

"Ooh, like that handsome knight in Heliodor! Grrr!" A parader clasps his hands next to his cheek.

"I heard he became the luminary and singlehandedly defeated every monster in Heliodor in a single night!"

Great. So those rumors have reached Sylvia's parade. And knowing how much the parade travels and how loose-lipped they currently are, soon the whole damn continent is going to think Hendrik is the luminary. Hendrik should have gotten vodka.

"Wait a minute, didn't you say you were a knight of Heliodor during your battle with Avarith?" The parader that played music during said fight brings up.

Shit. "It was a slip of the tongue."

Another parader brings out a black blanket and drapes it over Hendrik's body. He and Hendrik stare at one another, then the parader gasps. "Oh my goddess! It really is Sir Hendrik!"

"My name is not Hendrik." Hendrik lies.

Despite Hendrik's protests, all of the paraders squeal at the same time. Then, they all start babbling. Hendrik stands up, letting the blanket fall. He grabs his wagon, then walks to the bar and places the wagon on the counter.

"How much will you charge to make my lemonade alcoholic?" Hendrik asks the bartender, almost getting drowned out by his new fanboys.

"I'm sorry, but we don't serve alcohol yet."

"…Fuck." Hendrik sits down and sips his lemonade, hoping by some miracle that it would turn into alcohol. When the paraders don't stop talking, that's when Hendrik slams his cup down. "For fuck's sake, I am not the luminary! I have been dealing with this shit since I left the Last Bastion, and I will not answer what ridiculous questions you have! Now leave me alone!"

The paraders slowly back up from Hendrik. Hendrik lets out an exhale and sips his lemonade. A few of the paraders start to cry. Then, they go upstairs. Hendrik smiles and brings the straw back to his lips. But before he can drink again, something cold strikes Hendrik's cheek. Hendrik spills some of his drink and shock and frantically looks around.

"Wh-who…?" The only person close enough to hit Hendrik is the bartender, and she is currently cleaning the other side of the counter.

The wagon starts rolling closer to Hendrik. Then, without prompting, it rolls back. Forward. Back. Hendrik's eyes widen.

The invisible person from the Last Bastion had followed him here. And apparently, it was them who had slapped Hendrik.


	5. Sylvia Joins The Party!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow i didnt think ppl were still reading this fic, but its seen a burst of popularity lately, so i decided to finish this ch for your reading pleasure

A million questions flick through Hendrik's head. Why had his friend followed him? Was it the friend who was responsible for his victory over Avarith? Were they accompanying Hendrik this entire time? Had they decided to follow Hendrik when they asked Hendrik to bring their wagon and bottle cap with them?

"…Did you slap me?" Hendrik decides to ask first, keeping his voice down to a hushed whisper.

The wagon moves a short distance.

"Why did you do that?!" Hendrik elevates his whisper to a slight whispershout.

The wagon stays still.

"I suppose it would be difficult for you to convey that…" Hendrik mumbles. "Was it because… I wanted to drink alcohol?"

No movement from the wagon.

Hendrik takes a sip of his lemonade. "Is it because I told the paraders to leave me in peace?"

The wagon flies off the counter, hitting Hendrik's chest. Hendrik fumbles for it and barely catches it before it tumbles to the ground. He quickly sets it back on the counter, not missing the way the bartender looks at him. Hendrik drinks the lemonade until the bartender goes back to what they're doing.

"…Wishing to be left alone is not an unreasonable desire." Hendrik grumbles under his breath.

The wagon is flung at Hendrik's face this time, knocking into his cup and making him spill lemonade all over the lower half of his face.

"You ok?" The bartender asks, now fully facing Hendrik.

Hendrik wipes his face with the back of his gloved hand. "Yes. I merely… miscalculated." A deep blush spreads across Hendrik's cheeks, and his nose crinkles. "May I bring my drink outside?"

"Sure."

Hendrik rushes out the door, lemonade and wagon in hand. He goes to the side of the building and sits against the wall, then puts the cup and wagon down.

"Did you have to throw your wagon at me?"

The wagon moves forward.

Ugh, so his friend is feeling sassy. "Why are you so angry at me?"

No movement from the wagon.

"Did what I say to the group in the parade bother you so much?"

The wagon rolls.

Hendrik sighs and takes a sip. "They would not leave me alone. I had to yell at them in order to make them go away." The wagon is thrown at Hendrik again. Hendrik catches it with one hand and sets it back down. "You have to understand, I have put up with them blaring music into my ears for the entire day. All I want is some time alone."

The wagon stays still. Hendrik takes that as a cue that the conversation is over and finishes the rest of his drink. Then, he puts the wagon away and heads back inside. No sooner than he returned the cup to the bartender does Sylvia come down the stairs. She immediately sees Hendrik at the bar counter and quickly approaches him.

"Can I talk to you for just a second?" Sylvia's face has a serious expression that heavily constrasts with her smiles earlier.

"Of course." Hendrik automatically agrees, soldier instincts answering for him.

Sylvia takes Hendrik to the side of the room. "I am only going to ask this once, young man. What did you say to my boys?"

"I told them to leave me be."

"Is that so?" Sylvia raises a brow. "Then why were my boys crying and saying you yelled at them for no reason?"

"I… made them cry?"

"Yes." Sylvia confirms. "Some of them were crying so loud you could hear them from outside the room."

Oh no. Hendrik hates making people cry. Even more so when they're civillians. His throat tightens with guilt as he takes in the information.

"Look, I'm sure if you march on up there and apologize right now, they'll forgive you and go back to normal. But you have to mean it!"

"…Where are they now?"

"Just upstairs. Come on, I'll take you to them." Sylvia gestures for Hendrik to follow as she walks away.

Hendrik trails behind her, walking up the stairs to an inn room. His heart twists as he hears sobbing coming from within. Sylvia opens the door and steps in first.

"Boys?" Sylvia quietly calls out to them. "I brought Hendrik here."

Hendrik steps into the doorway. As soon as the paraders see him, they flinch. Some cower while others stand before Hendrik with crossed arms and heavy frowns.

"You have a lot of nerve, coming to us after making our friends cry!" A short man glares up at Hendrik with such a hateful expression that even Hendrik could read it.

"That is what I wanted to discuss." Hendrik starts off with. "I wanted to apologize for losing my patience. The noise had gotten to me by that point, and I simply wanted to have a moment of peace. But that is no excuse for snapping at you before even trying to dissuade you in a more gentle manner." Hendrik bows at the waist. "I have wronged you."

"…Do you really mean it?" A parader in the back pipes up.

"Yes, I do." Hendrik doesn't dare to look up.

Footsteps pad towards Hendrik. Again, he doesn't dare to look up. Someone bends down and hugs Hendrik. "We forgive you." They choke out, sobs blocking their speech.

More and more people hug Hendrik. Soon, Hendrik is in the middle of a giant group hug. He sighs and wraps his arms around as many people as he can. He can set aside his own personal quarrels about touching strangers. Right now, it is more important to comfort those he has hurt.

"Awwww…" Sylvia walks right up and joins the hug. "I'm so glad you all worked it out!"

"Does this mean all is well now?" Hendrik asks.

One parader dries his eyes before smiling. "Yep!"

"I am grateful for that." Hendrik smiles a little. "But, uh… I am growing uncomfortable in this hug."

A chorus of apologies erupt as everyone backs away from Hendrik. Hendrik dusts the front of his tunic off.

"Now that the matter is settled, I must secure lodgings for myself. I need to fully assess the damage done to me and my belongings after the fight with Avarith."

"Wait wait wait wait wait!" Sylvia blocks the doorway with her arm. "How about you hang out with me and the boys for a while? We'd love to have you, you know." Sylvia winks at Hendrik.

Hendrik mentally goes through the possible reasons for Sylvia's wink before deciding that it must have been a spasm. "I do not wish to impose on any of you after what I said earlier."

"Nonsense!" Sylvia bends her wrist at Hendrik. "The more the merrier, am I right, little Soldiers?"

The paraders all cheer at once.

"…Very well. I shall linger for a while longer."

\-----

"Never have I ever… encountered a ghost."

A few paraders put their fingers down. Hendrik keeps his the way they are. A few moments pass, and Hendrik's invisible friend tries to push one of Hendrik's fingers down. But Hendrik stays firm against it, and eventually his friend stops trying.

"I do not believe in ghosts." Hendrik comments.

Some reel back and exclaim their shock. Others nod their heads and mumble their agreements.

"How could you NOT believe in ghosts?!" Sylvia incredulously asks, eyes wide and mouth gaping. "They're everywhere!"

"If that is the case, then explain to me why I have never seen one in my life." Hendrik challenges.

Hendrik's friend smacks him upside the head, creating an audible slap that leaves Hendrik wincing.

"Who did that?!" Sylvia frowns and stares at the people next to Hendrik.

"Was it you?!" The dark-haired parader points an accusatory finger.

"No! I didn't touch him!" The parader next to Hendrik lifts their hands up.

All of a sudden, the one with glasses gasps. "Maybe a ghost did it!"

Hendrik can't help a deep sigh. "He is not a ghost."

"Who is?"

All goes quiet as they await Hendrik's answer. It only then occurs to Hendrik what he just admitted to.

"N-nothing. It was a slip of the tongue. Nothing more."

Everyone raises their brow at Hendrik.

"Oh honey…" Sylvia shakes her head. "You have always been a terrible liar."

"I am not lying!" Hendrik lies.

"You don't have to. We just want to know who you're talking about…" The parader on Hendrik's other side pleads, to the agreement of those around him.

Oh no. Looks like Hendrik's not getting out of this one. He's been avoiding this for some time now, but… "Someone that is invisible and appears to be intangible is following me. That is who I was referring to."

"…Are you sure that's not a ghost?"

"I am certain of it. There must be another explanation for-" Hendrik's jaw suddenly clamps shut, with cold seeping deep into his bone.

"Uh, darling, you didn't finish your sentence." Sylvia furrows her brows.

Hendrik tries to speak, to say anything, but his teeth are locked in place. It's as though a gag is in place. All that comes out are muffled grunts.

"Hendrik?" Someone reaches for Hendrik. "Are you ok?"

The cold lingers for a second before dissipating. Hendrik opens his mouth and rubs his jaw. "…What the hell?"

"What happened?"

"The person I had just told you about seemingly forced me to stop talking." Hendrik explains, massaging his muscles.

"…Should we get a priest?" Sylvia asks.

"No." Hendrik shakes his head. "Even though this… person has a destructive side, they are a friend of mine."

"You're friends with them?" A parader gasps.

"Yes. We have managed to form a basic system of communication." Hendrik digs through his bag and pulls out the wagon. "Whenever I ask them a yes or no question, they will move the wagon if the answer is yes."

"What if it's a no?"

"Then the wagon shall not move." Hendrik places the wagon in front of him. "Please move the wagon."

The wagon briefly rolls before coming to a stop. Everyone save for Hendrik gasps and whispers amongst themselves.

"There really is a ghost…"

"It's following Hendrik?"

Hendrik opens his mouth to make a retort, then thinks better of it and closes his mouth.

"Wait a minute! I have an idea!" A parader excitedly proclaims as they run over to their bag. They reach inside and procure two metal rods perpendicular to their own handles. "We can use these!"

"…What exactly are those?" Hendrik asks.

"They're dowsing rods! I used to use them to find treasure, but we can use them to talk to ghosts!" The parader smiles as he brings them over to Hendrik. "They're really easy to use. Just hold them upright, and the ghost will move them!"

Hendrik puts the wagon in his bag before he takes the rods and immediately tilts them to the side. The metal rods move downwards, making Hendrik frown. "Are you certain this is an effective method of communication?"

"Yeah! Look, they have flat bottoms. You can hold them against a flat surface if you're really worried about muscle spasms."

Hendrik gets up and walks over to the small table and lays both the bottom dowsing rods and his forearms flat against the table, keeping the dowsing rods a decent distance away from his body. He's heard that even his breath could interfere with things like this.

"Okay, here's how it works." The parader approaches, followed by the rest of them. "You ask a yes or no question, and the ghost will move the rods depending on their answer."

"I see…" Hendrik sighs. "Let us get started. Did you follow me from the Last Bastion?"

"Uh, you have to establish what moments mean yes or no." The parader elaborates.

"…What sort of movement will you produce to indicate a yes?" Hendrik asks.

The left rod moves first, turning away from the other. Then, the right rod does the same.

"I see. Could you straighten them?"

The rods point away from Hendrik in the same order as before.

"And what will you produce to form a no?"

The rods come to cross one another, forming an x. Then, they straighten out.

"And if you are uncertain of how to answer?"

The one on the left moves in a circle while the other stays still.

Hendrik looks to the others. "Do I ask them questions now?"

"Yep!" Sylvia confirms for him.

Hendrik clears his throat. "Uh… do you have a name?"

The rods point away from each other. A yes.

"Can you think of any way to tell us your name?"

The rods swing around to form an x. So a no.

"I see…" Hendrik frowns. He was hoping to finally learn this person's name. "Did you follow me from the Last Bastion?"

The rods say yes.

"Oh my goddess, a ghost followed Hendrik!" Someone squeals.

Hendrik shoots a glare at the person that said that. Then, he grits out another question. "Are you alive?"

A no.

Hendrik blinks as everyone else reacts in various ways. They have to be alive in order to interact with the rods. But they just said they're dead. Are they lying to him? Is someone playing a prank on him?

"We're dealing with a real live ghost!" Sylvia hops in place with a huge smile on her face.

Hendrik can't help but notice the irony of that statement. "So you truly are a ghost?"

Yes.

"Do you take offense when I deny that you are a ghost?"

Yes.

"Can I ask a few questions?" A parader raises their hand.

"I do not see why not." Hendrik shrugs. "Would you like the rods?"

"Nah." The parader pulls the chair across from Hendrik out and sits down, then immediately erupts into violent shivers. "Geez, why'd it get so cold all of a sudden?!"

"It is likely because you are sitting on the… ghost." Hendrik hates to admit.

"Oh no! I'm so so so so sorry!" The parader quickly gets up and pushes the chair back in. "I didn't realize you were sitting there!"

The rods point away from each other. Is the ghost trying to reassure the parader?

The parader clears his throat. "A-anyway… first question: are you handsome?"

Yes.

"Are you single?"

No.

"Aw man…" The parader slumps over. "I want a ghost boyfriend…"

Sylvia pats the disappointed parader. "I know, honey. We all do."

"How do we even know if the ghost is male?" Hendrik asks.

"Well, let's ask them." Sylvia leans towards the table. "Are you a boy?"

Yes.

"I see." Hendrik nods. "Are you cisgender?"

One rod twirls around.

"Are you uncertain of your gender?" Hendrik continues.

No.

"Are you intersex?"

Yes.

Sylvia sighs. "I knew someone who was intersex. Before the Fall."

Some paraders hug Sylvia, making her smile a little.

"What sweet boys you are…" Sylvia coos as she hugs them back.

Something tugs at Hendrik's heart from within. Hendrik deeply frowns and looks away. There's a certain buzz in the air, lingering near Hendrik's hands.

"…Did you know Sylvia before the Fall?" Hendrik ventures to ask.

Yes.

"Oh… he must have been a fan of mine." Sylvia smiles, but her tone does not match her expression. "At least I got to meet you, even though you're… dead."

The rods come to create an x.

"You're not dead?!" Sylvia furrows her brows.

No.

"…Were you not a fan of me?"

Yes.

"Sooo… have you only heard of me?"

No.

"Did you personally know Sylvia?" Hendrik finally asks.

Yes.

The color drains from Sylvia's skin. A shaky hand comes to clutch at her heart. "I… I have to go." She runs out the door, slamming it against the wall in her haste.

"Sylvia?!" The paraders cry out.

Hendrik drops the dowsing rods almost immediately. "I will go after her. Stay here."

"But-"

"Too many people will overwhelm her. It is best if only one person talks to her in this state." Hendrik stands and pushes past the crowd without allowing them the chance to argue.

Hendrik leaves the room and picks a random direction. He starts walking, hoping Sylvia went in the same direction. He passes several doors before he feels a cool presence tug at his glove. Hendrik looks down at his hand. Nothing appears to be touching him.

The ghost tugs on his glove again. Hendrik turns to face the direction the ghost is tugging in. One of the doors to an inn room stands before him, innocuous as the rest. The ghost lifts Hendrik's hand towards the door before dropping it. Hendrik puts his ear to the door. Quiet sobbing can be heard from within.

"Sylvia?" Hendrik gently knocks on the door.

"What?" Sylvia's voice is muffled by the wooden door and her own snot.

"May I come in?"

"One second, darling." Hendrik can hear Sylvia blow her nose. "Come in."

Hendrik turns the doorknob and steps inside. Sylvia is sitting on the lone bed, face ruddy and tear-streaked. She wipes at the tear stains as her face stays stonily neutral.

"Is something wrong?" Sylvia smiles at Hendrik.

Hendrik closes the door behind him before speaking. "I should be the one asking that question."

"What do you mean?" Sylvia tilts her head to the side.

"You ran out so suddenly… and there is the fact that you were crying just before I came in." Hendrik points out.

"I wasn't crying." Sylvia immediately denies.

Hendrik sighs. "I am not so gullible that I would believe that lie so easily."

"I'm not lying. I don't cry. In fact, I don't ever feel sad." Sylvia insists, hands coming to tug on the skirt of her tunic.

"You do not have to hide the way you feel. I will not judge you for your emotions."

Sylvia frowns and looks away. "I… no." Sylvia shakes her head. "Not now. Not with you."

"Would you rather speak about it to one of your friends?"

"No." Sylvia stands up and walks to the other side of the room, hugging herself. "You're…" Sylvia sighs. "Why am I even bothering? You're just using me…"

"Pardon?" Hendrik gets up.

"You're just using me so you can hunt down Eleven again!" Sylvia whips around and accuses Hendrik.

"What?!"

"I was willing to give you a chance, but all you want to do is interrogate me!" Sylvia shouts, tears welling up. "I, I should've known better than to assume you didn't recognize me!"

Hendrik stares at Sylvia, trying to decipher the riddle behind her words. Then, he recalls a wanted poster with Sylvia's face and names on it. "I-I assure you, that was not my intention in the slightest!"

"Says the man that spent months trying to kill my friend!" Sylvia bursts into tears immediately after the outburst.

"Sylvia…" Hendrik reaches for Sylvia. "I cannot understate how sorry I am for how I hurt you and Eleven. But I do not wish to cause harm to either of you. Or your friends, for that matter. My actions just now are truly for your sake. I was worried about you. And I still am."

Hendrik closes the distance between his hand and Sylvia's cheek. Sylvia closes her eyes and leans into the touch, tears overflowing.

"I… I'm just…" Sylvia chokes on her own sobs. "I have no idea…"

"Shhhh. Take your time." Hendrik comes a little closer, bringing his other hand to cradle Sylvia's face.

Sylvia wraps her arms tight around Hendrik. "I haven't seen any of… any of… any of my darling friends since…"

"Since the Fall?"

"Yes." Sylvia sniffles. "A-and the rumors with you being… the… the luminary…"

"So you have heard of them." Hendrik isn't surprised to hear that.

"Yes. I… I'm so worried…" Sylvia wipes her nose with her sleeve. "Diosa, it's so cold…"

Hendrik reaches behind Sylvia. The familiar cold presence of the ghost is directly behind her, close enough to hug her. "I believe that ghost we spoke to is attempting to comfort you as well."

"What?!" Sylvia immediately jerks back. "No. No no no no no no no no NO! I CAN'T deal with a ghost right now! I can't!"

"Uh… calm down. I shall deal with the matter." Hendrik guides Sylvia away from the ghost. "Could you please leave us be?"

The ghost travels from in front of Hendrik to his side before Hendrik stops feeling his presence altogether. Hendrik waits several moments.

"I believe it has gone elsewhere now." Hendrik turns to Sylvia. "Let us take a seat."

Sylvia sits down on the bed and crosses her legs, rubbing the tears off of her face.

Hendrik sits next to her and carefully considers his next words. "…Why exactly do the rumors of me becoming the luminary distress you?"

"I-I figured that… if there was a new luminary, then… Eleven is probably…" Sylvia's voice cracks.

Hendrik takes his glove off and shows his bare hand to Sylvia. "I do not know what exactly you have heard, but I can assure you that I am not the luminary."

Sylvia smiles and lets out a short laugh. "So my darling Eleven could still be alive!"

"That is what I am hoping." Hendrik puts his glove back on.

Sylvia opens her mouth, then hesitates. "…How much of those rumors are exaggerated?"

"I cannot say, for I do not know what you have heard."

"Well… everyone's talking about how you killed every monster from Puerto Valor to Heliodor city and then some, rescued the entirety of the Last Bastion, and that you dispelled the darkness, all on your own, with the power of the luminary."

Hendrik sighs and scratches the back of his head. "I had blacked out during that time. I do not remember the vast majority of what I did, but His Majesty Carnelian informed me of what I did during that time. I was in a losing battle to defend the Last Bastion when I sustained lethal injuries and lost consciousness. I then recall waking up in prison, which is consistent with the reports, but what I experienced after that I cannot be certain is not a dream. Someone shook me awake and tried to get me to heal myself, but I did not have the strength to. Then, this person requested to… come inside me."

"Uh…" Sylvia leans away from Hendrik. "Th-that's great, but, honey, you don't need to tell me those kinds of details."

Hendrik has never blushed so hard in his life. "I did not mean it in that sense!" He blurts out. "I meant it literally! They wanted to enter my body and control me!"

"OH!" Sylvia blushes too. "Sorry, continue."

Hendrik breathes deep, hoping to dispel the blush sooner rather than later. He briefly catches the sound of things breaking downstairs before deciding to dismiss it. "As I was saying, they asked to enter me, even though they made it clear that it was risky. I agreed, seeing as I was already dying. After that… I do not remember much. All I know is that after I awoke in the Last Bastion's medical tent, everyone had claimed that I had become the luminary and slayed the majority of the monster population in Heliodor, including the one that had usurped the throne."

"Why do they think you're the luminary?"

"Because my eyes were glowing, and my hand glowed as well, though it glowed in the shape of the luminary's mark."

"Wait, you said you aren't the luminary!" Sylvia points at Hendrik.

"That is because I am not! I can show you my hand again if you do not believe me!"

Sylvia holds her hand up and waits a moment. "…Then why did you have the luminary's mark?"

"That is what I have been wondering myself." Hendrik admits.

Sylvia frowns and strokes her chin. "I can't think of any reason that would happen…"

"Neither can I."

"Hm… what are you doing so far from the Last Bastion, anyway?"

Oh no. The dreaded question. "Before I can say, I need you to promise you will listen to all of what I have to say before making a judgement."

"…Okay?" Sylvia raises a brow.

"His Majesty ordered me to find Eleven and bring him to the Last Bastion." Hendrik doesn't bother wasting time with delaying what he's inevitably have to admit. "But this time, I am not to arrest him. His Majesty believes that the luminary is the only one who can save the world, and once I have completed my task, I am to protect him until the Lord of Shadow is no more."

Sylvia wrinkles her nose. "You still want to find him?"

"Yes, but as I said, I do not wish him harm."

Sylvia looks away. She is quiet for a long time, and Hendrik does not make a peep. Sylvia glances at Hendrik several times as she nibbles at her lip.

"…Are you sure you don't want to hurt him anymore?" Sylvia questions.

"Yes.You have my word." Hendrik thumps his fist against his chest.

"…Ok. Where are you going next?"

"I need to reach a place called Angri-La. Have you heard of it?"

Sylvia nods. "Me and the boys were considering visiting there next."

"Then perhaps we could travel together, since we have the same destination in mind. What do you say?" Hendrik offers.

"Mm, me and the boys are going to be staying in town for a few days. If it's urgent…"

"It is not. I could stand to extrapolate evidence the luminary's location from the townspeople, anyway."

"I guess we could travel together." Despite her agreement, Sylvia seems hesitant. "But I'm warning you: if you harm a hair on Eleven's head, I'll personally make sure you pay for it."


	6. Exorcism

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lil warning, theres a bit of dreamscape smoking in this ch

Hendrik takes one look at the mess before him and freezes in place. Bottles and plates are smashed everywhere, their contents spilled out all over the floorboards.

"What happened here?" Hendrik inquires as he steps around one of many messes.

"This place is haunted, I tell you!" A young man hugging himself screams. "Things went- went flying!"

"Sir, please calm down." The waiter from earlier holds his arms out placatingly. "I'm sure it's nothing to be worried about. We just have to clean up the mess, and you can keep eating."

"To hell with that! I'm not eating at a place with literal demons in it!" The man storms out the double doors, slamming them open with a loud thud.

Hendrik watches the young man leave, then approaches the waiter. "What happened?" He repeats.

The waiter looks around the room. "I don't know… Everything was fine one moment, and the next, everything that could break just… fell to the floor. I would say it was an earthquake, but… I didn't feel anything. Did you?"

Hendrik frowns and shakes his head.

The waiter sighs and scratches his head. "Well… I guess the kitchen and dining areas are closed until we clean this up. Sorry about the inconvenience."

"It is not your fault. I am certain you are doing the best you can."

"Thank you." The waiter smiles. "But, uh, can you go back upstairs until we reopen?"

"Of course." Hendrik gives a small bow before going back to Sylvia's room. As soon as he closes the door behind him, he hands Sylvia's coin purse back. "The kitchen was forced to close due to an incident."

"What happened?" Sylvia furrows her brows as she puts the purse back.

"I do not know. All that I managed to gather was that several fragile objects broke at once, and…" Hendrik opens his mouth as he realizes. "Oh, that little-!"

"What is it?"

"It was the ghost!" Hendrik grits out. "He used to destroy anything he could in the Last Bastion!"

"H-how do you even know it was him?" Sylvia questions.

"I spoke to a waiter, and they indicated that there was no apparent cause for such destruction!"

"Honey, slow down." Sylvia implores Hendrik. "It's not fair to anyone to jump to conclusions. We should talk to the ghost about it, first."

Hendrik grits his teeth. "Very well. But if he refuses to answer our questions, I shall assume it was him."

Sylvia frowns, but says nothing more on the matter. Hendrik digs through his satchel and places the wagon on the table, then sits down, facing the door.

"What are you doing?" Sylvia asks.

"I am currently waiting for the ghost to arrive so that we may question him."

"How will you know when he's here?"

Hendrik grows quiet.

Sylvia sighs and sits opposite of Hendrik. "How about we play a little card game?" She snaps, and a deck of cards appears in her hand with a puff of smoke. "What's your favorite?"

"…Do you have pokemon decks on hand?"

"I do!" Sylvia smiles as she tosses the deck into the air, unleashing a transformation mid-air. A large case lands on Sylvia's open palm, and she places it on the table before opening it up. "Pick a deck, honey."

Hendrik chooses the deck indicated by a purple divider. He shuffles it as Sylvia gets the one under the white divider out.

"How long have you been playing?" Hendrik asks as he sets up his prize cards.

"Hm, since… since my teens, actually!" Sylvia's eyebrows slightly rise at the realization. "My childhood sweetheart taught me how to play. He was a Zwaardsrustian boy with purple hair. He was also trans, which is partly why we got along so well."

"You are transgender?" Hendrik draws his cards.

"Genderfluid. My other name is Sylvando." Sylvia gets a coin out. "Heads or tails?"

"Tails."

Sylvia flips the coin, catches it, and slaps it onto the back of her hand. "You'll go first, sweetie."

Hendrik ponders the cards in his hand. He has a shuppet, along with a misdreavous and some energy cards. He places the misdreavous facedown as his active pokemon, then does the same for shuppet on the bench. Sylvia sets up three cards in a similar manner.

"Are you ready?" Hendrik asks.

"Yep!"

They both flip their cards up. Hendrik places an energy card on misdreavous. "I end my turn."

Sylvia also puts an energy card on her active pokemon, a celebi. "I attack." She puts an attack counter on misdreavous, making Hendrik frown. "Darling, did you get a room for yourself?"

"I am afraid not. Your troupe took all of the available lodgings here."

"You can stay in my room, if you want. I don't mind." Sylvia smiles at Hendrik.

Hendrik's cheeks start to burn. "B-but you are a woman! It would not be proper for a man to share a room with you!"

"Oh, honey…" Sylvia puts her elbow on the table, resting her chin on her head. "No one's thought that way in years. Besides, I trust you to be a good boy and keep your hands to yourself."

"…If you insist." Oh goddess, just the thought of sharing a room with Sylvia makes Hendrik's heart pound.

"Henny? It's your turn."

"Oh! My apologies." Hendrik draws a card, a gastly, and places it on the bench. "How do you plan on sharing this room? There is only one bed."

"We share it, of course."

Hendrik chokes on air. "Sh-share?!"

"Yes, honey." Sylvia nods. "I don't want you to hurt your back on the floor."

"Are you… certain you wish to share the bed?" Hendrik keeps his eyes firmly on his cards as he puts an energy card down.

Sylvia furrows her brows. "You don't have to… Not if you're not comfortable."

Hendrik takes a deep breath through his nose before speaking. "I shall consider it. Uh…" Hendrik looks at his shuppet card's abilities. "I attack for twenty damage."

Sylvia puts two tokens on her celebi. They continue playing for a while, making small talk. Hendrik eventually wins thanks to a surprisingly strong gengar card.

"That was a good game!" Sylvia smiles as she shakes Hendrik's hand. "I had lots of fun."

"I enjoyed myself as well." Hendrik keeps a firm grip on Sylvia's hand, counting to three. Then, he lets go. "It is getting late. Shall we prepare to go to bed?"

Sylvia glances out the window. "Uh… Sure! Can you face the wall for a tiny moment?"

Hendrik obeys, pressing his forehead to the wooden wall. With his close his ears are, he can hear the Soldiers of Smile laugh amongst themselves through the wall. It makes him long for a youth filled with normal socialization, instead of the stunted social development he had due to trauma and the way his mind functioned.

"Uhhhh… I-I think I found the ghost." Sylvia brings up.

Hendrik turns around. Sylvia is sitting on the bed, tunic held half-up, revealing her undershirt. She's frozen in place as she visibly trembles.

"Where is he?" Hendrik immediately asks.

"On the bed." Sylvia drops her tunic to rub her arms as she stands up.

Hendrik approaches the bed. He feels along for the cool sensation, finding that it spans all the way down the bed. "Sit up. I must discuss a matter with you."

Hendrik feels the cool air travel upwards. So the ghost is listening. Hendrik carries the table and chair over, then clears the table and sets the wooden wagon in the center. He sits down and thinks for a moment, planning out his words.

"Earlier, several objects broke in the dining and kitchen areas to the point where both were forced to close." Hendrik starts off with. "Would you know anything as to the reason why such destruction occured?"

The wagon stays still.

"Then I suppose the destruction has no relation to you, which might I add, occured AFTER you left the room?"

The wagon is stationary.

"I know you can hear me. Refusing to respond will only make your guilt more apparent."

"Uh, honey?" Sylvia leans over the table. "Can I try?"

"Go ahead." Hendrik gestures towards the table.

Sylvia sits on the bed, off to the side of the ghost. "Darling, I know it might be hard to be a ghost. But you can't just go around breaking things."

The wagon abruptly rolls off the table. Hendrik sighs and puts it back.

"No, you can't do that kind of thing, especially with things that don't belong to you." Sylvia scolds the ghost. "Hendrik's your friend. You can't break his wagon."

"The wagon belongs to the ghost." Hendrik corrects. "I am merely holding it for him."

"W-well, how would you feel if I threw your wagon into a fire?" Sylvia quickly switches strategies. "It wouldn't feel good, right? You would probably be sad about it. It's the same for other people. They get sad when you destroy their belongings."

Silence fills the room.

"Do you understand why you can't break things?" Sylvia asks.

The wagon gently rolls forward.

Sylvia smiles. "There you go. Now that that's out of the way, how about I read you a little story? I think you loooove it~!"

The wagon rapidly rolls back and forth. Hendrik can't help a smile as he lays his greatsword against the wall next to the bed. Then, he takes his boots off and puts them in the same place.

Sylvia materializes a somewhat lengthy picture book with a snap of her fingers. She sits down, crosses her legs, and starts reading out loud. Hendrik doesn't pay much attention to it as he gets ready for bed.

"…And then they lived happily ever after. The end." Sylvia shuts the book and snaps it out of existence. She yawns and stretches her back. "I think I'll turn in for the night." She takes her tunic and shoes off, leaving them with her discarded belt. "Henny, do you want to share the bed?"

Hendrik ponders that for a moment. He isn't exactly eager to sleep on a hard wooden floor… "Yes."

Sylvia smiles. "Which side do you want?"

"The one closest to the door." It will be easier for Hendrik to defend himself and Sylvia against any potential attackers that way.

Sylvia gets into the opposite side of the bed, then pats Hendrik's side. Hendrik grabs the wagon and opens his satchel. He contemplates taking the pearl out before putting the wagon in the satchel and closing it. Then, Hendrik lays down, getting under the covers and steering clear of Sylvia. He tucks his hands onto his chest and sighs.

"Goodnight, sweetie." Sylvia blows out the candle before rolling onto her side and closing her eyes.

Hendrik stares up at the ceiling. He mentally counts sheep as he waits for his eyelids to grow heavy. He makes it to thirty before Sylvia stirs.

"Hendrik, I swear your body is made of ice…" Sylvia mumbles.

Hendrik glances at the space between them. "I am not touching you."

Sylvia squeaks and nearly falls out of the bed. Hendrik catches her before she hits the floor and pulls her back up. Part of Hendrik's body lingers in a cold spot on the bed, but it barely even registers anymore.

"Are you hurt?" Hendrik asks.

Sylvia shakes her head. "Gosh, for a minute it felt like there was another person in bed…"

"…It is the ghost." Hendrik brings Sylvia's hand to the presence in the bed.

Sylvia gasps. "What are you doing in our bed?"

"I allow him to sleep in my bed." Hendrik explains. "He is likely just doing what he is accustomed to."

"Why?"

Hendrik sighs. "At first, I did not fully believe he even existed. After that, I never had the heart to say no."

"I see…" Sylvia looks at the spot the ghost in. "Well, darling, you're welcome to share the bed, too. Just don't touch me. You're far too cold for me." She lays back down, and the cold migrates to Hendrik's side.

"Goodnight." Hendrik wishes them both before laying down. He feels the ghost shift around before settling down.

\-----

Hendrik sits on the edge of the dock, allowing his legs to dangle just above the tainted water. He kicks a little as he looks out into the dead forest before him. He doesn't stir at the footsteps creaking the dangerously rotten boards.

"Hey."

Hendrik turns his head towards the speaker. "Hello. How have you been?"

"Eh. Things could be better." Eleven sits next to Hendrik, crossing his legs. "At least Sylv's here, now."

Hendrik notes the lack of equipment on Eleven's person. "Are you not going to attempt to fish?"

Eleven shrugs. "I don't see the point. The water's too polluted for fish to survive."

"That is a shame." Hendrik frowns. He takes a pack of cigarettes and a matchbook out.

"Ewww, why do you have to smoke every time we're here?"

"I cannot afford this luxury otherwise." Hendrik puts a cigarette in his mouth and lights a match before holding it to the cigarette.

Eleven scoots away from Hendrik. "I just hope the wind doesn't blow that damn smoke towards me."

Right after Eleven says that, the wind pushes the cloud of smoke Hendrik produced towards him. Eleven wrinkles his nose and bats the smoke away.

"My apologies." Hendrik takes the cigarette out of his mouth and holds it between his fingers.

Eleven sighs. "At least you're not actually hurting your lungs."

They sit in comfortable silence, with Hendrik taking a drag every so often and blowing smoke away from Eleven. They watch the purple current flow by, occasionally taking a dead branch downstream.

"I talked to Sylv before coming here." Eleven brings up. "I… told them that I missed them. Hugged them. But I'm not sure they'll remember."

Hendrik turns towards Eleven.

"Could you tell them that I love and miss them? And… that I'm worried about the others. Especially Erik."

"Is he your paramour?" Hendrik asks.

Eleven blushes and nods. "I've known him the longest out of all of them."

"Very well. I shall relay your message if I am able."

"Thank you." Eleven hugs Hendrik.

Hendrik stiffens for a moment before stubbing his cigarette on the dock and forcing himself to relax. "Is there anything else you wish for me to say?"

"Nuh-uh." Eleven thankfully lets go. "Sweet dreams, Hendrik."

\-----

It is the last day the Soldiers of Smile are supposed to perform in town, and Hendrik hasn't found a single lead. Are there rumors about the luminary? Of course. Hendrik is practically up to his ears in rumors. But are any of them substantiated? Not a chance in hell. The most ridiculous one Hendrik heard was that Eleven was kidnapping children in order to build an army to conquer Sniflheim as a gift for his husband, the Lord of Shadows. Hendrik had to lay down after hearing that one.

As for the ghost, he's only been causing more and more trouble. Between throwing empty bottles at people and pushing chairs over, every customer of the tavern is at edge. Hendrik has noticed a sharp decline in patronage since he started staying at the inn.

"I thought Sylvando had told you to behave." Hendrik crosses his arms and glares at the presence. "And yet, here you are, repeatedly engaging in destruction." A pause. "Not only that, you are attempting to harm people in the process. Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

The wagon before Hendrik rolls.

"Very well. Here is how this is going to work: I shall name letters, and you will spell out a word by rolling the wagon whenever I say a letter you need to spell. Do you understand?"

The wagon rolls. Hendrik names off letters, starting over whenever the wagon moves. Eventually, the ghost manages to spell out the word 'creeps'.

"Are you referring to the patrons of the tavern?"

The wagon rolls.

"…I suppose you have a reason for being violent." Hendrik frowns. "But you need to stop. If you continue at this rate, something bad will happen to you. I do not know what it may be, but you will not enjoy it."

The ghost flips the wagon over.

"I know, I do not enjoy those unsavory types, either. But people are now afraid to go to the tavern. The chances of… such disgusting acts have been severely reduced."

The wagon doesn't move.

Hendrik sighs. "Could you at least cut back on the paranormal activity?"

The wagon moves.

"Thank you." Hendrik stands up. "Now, if you shall excuse me, I need to prepare to leave." Hendrik puts the wagon in the satchel, then checks for anything he and Sylvando left before exiting the room. He approaches the front desk. "Ma'am?"

"How can I help you?" The woman behind the desk asks.

"I would like to return a room key." Hendrik holds a key to the woman.

The woman takes it, scribbles something in a ledger, and puts the key away. "Thank you. Will that be all?"

"Yes. Thank you." Hendrik steps away from the desk. He passes by the inn owner and a priest on his way to the stairs. They speak to one another in hushed whispers, too engrossed in their conversation to notice Hendrik. Hendrik doesn't bother trying to eavesdrop. He figures it's none of his business, anyway.

Sylvando notices Hendrik with a smile as Hendrik approaches their pushed-together tables. "There you are! Come join us!"

Hendrik sits at the only available seat, opposite of Sylvando and two seats to the side. "Have you ordered yet?"

"Nope! We were waiting for you." A parader informs him.

"I see." Hendrik would be lying if he said he didn't appreciate it. He takes the menu in front of him and looks through the breakfast items.

"Hey guys, look at what an old lady gave me the other day!" Another parader presents a white doily to the table. "Isn't it soooo pretty?"

"Ooh, it is!" Sylvando squeals. "I'm so jealous!"

"I could learn to make them, if you want some." Tetsu offers.

"Awww, you don't have to."

"Please, I've been looking for an excuse to start."

"Well… okay." Sylvando smiles.

"Since we're showing off our stuff…" The parader to Hendrik's right takes out a statuette of the goddess. "This is my good luck charm."

"This is MY good luck charm!" One pulls a necklace out from under their shirt. This continues around the table, with everyone showing off their good luck charms. Everyone, except Hendrik.

"Do you have a good luck charm?" Sylvando asks, tilting his head.

"…I do." Hendrik is hesitant to admit.

"Show us!" A parader unhelpfully shouts. "Show us! Show us!"

Hendrik purses his lips. "Fine." He opens his satchel and brings out the pearl covered in cloth. He unwraps it in front of everyone to a chorus of oohs and ahs.

"How did you ever get a pearl that big?" Sylvando leans towards the pearl, staring at it.

"It was fished up off the Emerald Coast. It ended up in the hands of a merchant who intended to sell it for a large sum of money, but the ghost currently following me started haunting the Last Bastion around the time the merchant obtained it, so people started to believe it was cursed. The merchant could not sell the pearl, so I took pity on him and bought it."

"A cursed pearl…" Tetsu mumbles to himself. "What a strange good luck charm."

Hendrik rewraps the pearl and puts it back. "It has served me well thus far."

"Imagine the oyster that made that!"

Hendrik leans back in his chair and glances at a waitress, who is currently serving another table. He tugs his gloves upwards as he waits. He's not exactly eager to spend more money, but right now, a fresh-cooked breakfast sounds heavenly.

"What are you planning on ordering?" Hendrik asks Sylvando.

Sylvando opens the menu and shows it to Hendrik, pointing to a picture of-

An unearthly scream pierces the air, shaking the very foundation of the inn. Hendrik's blood turns cold as he looks to the stairs.

"What was that?!"

"Is it the demon?"

"Are we going to die?!"

Hendrik ignores the shouts of those in the room as he rushes to the stairs. He trips over a step on his way up, but he doesn't allow that to slow him down.

"Hendrik!" Sylvando comes after Hendrik. "Where are you going?"

Hendrik doesn't give any regard to Sylvando. He reaches the top of the stairs and immediately rounds a corner, trying several locked doors in a row.

"Shit shit shit, where is he?!" Hendrik runs to a side door and tries to turn the knob, only for it to resist his attempt. He pivots on his heel, searching for yet another door he could try.

Another scream, clearly coming from behind the door. Hendrik stumbles, clutching his head as a splitting headache forms behind his eyes. Sylvando catches up to Hendrik, pressing his hand to his own temple.

"I think it came from in here!" Sylvando points to the door.

Hendrik looks back to the door. Then, he rears back and kicks the door open. A priest is struggling to hold his arms up towards a metal and glass contraption with a shining light within while Mony hides behind an overturned table, peeking out the side.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!?!" Without waiting for an answer, Hendrik sprints towards the contraption as fast as he can.

"Child, no!" The priest screams. "There is a dangerous-!"

A rope of flame shoots towards Hendrik, only to arc around him. Hendrik reaches the contraption and immediately fiddles with what appears to be the lock. He manages to break it open, swinging the lid up and making the light within fade. The cool presence of the ghost immediately surrounds Hendrik, immediately enveloping him in a surprisingly strong grip.

"What have you done?!" The priest shouts, making Hendrik turn towards him. "That is a malevolent entity you just released!"

"Malevolent my ass." Hendrik stomps up to the priest. "Do you have any idea what you just did?! You were torturing a sentient spirit!"

"It's dangerous! We have to exorcise it! We don't have any other choice!"

"Did it occur to you to try speaking to the spirit?" Hendrik grits out, glaring straight into the priest's eyes. "Or did you decide torture was the only way without so much as considering any other method?!"

Mony stands up and approaches Hendrik. "You have to understand, this demon-"

"He's not a fucking demon!" Hendrik only grows angrier with each word. "You wretches only think of yourselves! You hurt him so badly I could hear him screaming from-"

"Hendrik!" Sylvando raises his voice to grab Hendrik's attention. The good mood from earlier has been completely wiped off his face. "Let's go."

Hendrik shoots one last glare at Mony and the priest before following Sylvando downstairs. The ghost continues to cling to Hendrik like a khalamari kid, squeezing uncomfortably tight. Hendrik fumbles to bring the ghost's body upwards and prevent him from slipping, only for Hendrik's hand to pass through thin air.

"Come on, boys." Sylvando gestures for her troupe to get up. "We're going to eat somewhere else."

The Soldiers audibly express disappointment as they get out of their seats, complaining all the while. One looks over at Hendrik and gasps, covering his mouth.

"Hendrik, your nose!"

Hendrik brings his gloved hand to his nose, and it comes away red. "…Shit." Hendrik grabs his handkerchief and holds it to his nose.

"Oh my gosh, are you alright?" Sylvando furrows his brows as he stares at Hendrik's nose.

Hendrik nods. "I merely need to leave this awful place." He starts going to the door. Before he leaves, he briefly turns to the others. "Eat without me. I have lost my appetite."

Hendrik doesn't stay any longer than strictly necessary. He pushes through the bustling streets, plugging his nose with his handkerchief. Unidentifiable feelings run amok within Hendrik's body. He pushes them down. No time to sort through them. Right now, he has to get himself and the ghost away from that cursed inn.

Hendrik eventually finds himself outside town, without another person in sight. It is then that his ears catch a faint sobbing. It takes Hendrik several moments to register the spectral lilt and realize that the ghost is crying. He quickly ducks into a dark hiding spot and sits down, with the ghost creating a weight on his thighs that feels entirely real.

Hendrik wraps his arms around the ghost, using the cold as a reference. He doesn't know if it's doing anything. He hopes it helps. "It is over now. They will not hurt you any longer." The sobbing continues. "We are far from them, now. I doubt they will pursue us."

The cold presses itself into Hendrik's shoulder. Hendrik would say more, but the words just won't come. So instead, Hendrik checks to see if his nose is still bleeding. He feels slight satisfaction when no more blood flows, but it is overwhelmed by the… sadness? Is that what this emotion is?

"Please… do not weep." Hendrik attempts to pat the ghost's back. "The danger has passed." The sobbing grows louder, making Hendrik's insides hurt. "Uh…" Hendrik digs through his satchel and puts the wagon on the ground. "Does it still hurt?"

Part of the cold retreats, only for the wagon to start rolling.

"Hm…" Hendrik frowns. "May I attempt to cast a healing spell on you? It may not work due to your… incorporeal form, but it is worth a try."

The wagon rolls again.

Hendrik gathers magic into his hand. "Midheal." He whispers as he guides the magic into the ghost's body. Green magic sprinkles onto the ghost, creating a brief silhouette before disappearing. The sobbing quiets down, taking a weight off of Hendrik's soul. "Do you feel any better?"

The wagon moves a little more than last time.

Hendrik smiles. "That is good." Hendrik hugs the ghost again. "What happened earlier… you did not deserve that. Your actions did not warrant such a thing."

Judging by the cold, the ghost seems to start using Hendrik's shoulder as a pillow. Hendrik decides not to say any more on the topic. He peeks into his satchel and prepares to get his wagon, but something tells him to investigate further. 

Hendrik takes the pearl out and unwraps it. The previously undamaged pearl now has a large, deep crack across its surface, branching out into several smaller cracks.

"What the hell…?" Hendrik traces his finger along the cracks. "How…?" The ghost shifts around to get more comfortable. "…Oh." Hendrik holds the pearl closer to the ghost. "Would I be correct to assume that this pearl is connected to you?"

For a few seconds, there is no response. Hendrik is about to put the pearl back when the wagon suddenly moves towards Hendrik.

"So the rumors held a grain of truth after all…" Hendrik mumbles. He carefully wraps the pearl in multiple layers of cloth, then places it back in his satchel. "This explains why you followed me out of the Last Bastion."

The wagon rolls once again, as though confirming Hendrik's statement.

Hendrik thinks for a minute. "I saw someone selling pinwheels earlier. Would you like one?"

The wagon rapidly moves back and forth.

Hendrik smiles. "Very well. I shall buy you one."


	7. Threads

As promised, Hendrik bought the ghost a bright, multicolored pinwheel. On some strange whim, he also bought some incense sticks, sandalwood scented, along with an incense holder. Why, he cannot decipher. He's never particularly enjoyed incense. And that incense holder wasn't cheap, either. But he supposes there is no point in being upset over it. What is done is done.

Now, Hendrik is inside the stables, petting Obsidian with a smile. "Good morning. Did you have a pleasant stay?"

Obsidian flares her nostrils as she nickers.

"Good. I should hope they are treating you well." 

Obsidian licks Hendrik's face.

"Obsidian, stop!" Hendrik laughs as he pushes Obsidian away. When Obsidian decides Hendrik is sticky enough, she starts licking the air next to him, then rapidly swings her tail. "What is it?" Hendrik asks, even though he knows he will get no answer. Obsidian just pushes her muzzle into Hendrik.

"Hendriiiiik?" Someone calls from what sounds like the entrance to the stables.

"I am in here!" Hendrik shouts.

Someone approaches, and soon, Sylvando's face pops into view before the rest of his body emerges within the doorway. "Hey, honey. How do you feel?"

"I feel better now that I have had a chance to calm down." Hendrik turns back to his horse. "And Obsidian helped, as well."

Obsidian proudly raises her head.

"Awwww, she's such a good horsie!" Sylvando coos as he pets Obsidian with one hand.

"She is. She is the finest horse I have ever had the pleasure of riding."

Sylvando kisses Obsidian's nose before holding a paper bag out to Hendrik. "Here, I got you a litle something so you don't have to travel on an empty stomach."

No sooner did Sylvando finish his sentence than did Obsidian grab the bag and start chewing on it.

"Obsidian! No!" Hendrik yells. "Drop it!" Obsidian turns away from Hendrik and continues chewing. Hendrik sighs and whistles, making Obsidian turn back to Hendrik. Hendrik holds his hand out underneath Obsidian's mouth. "Drop it. Now."

Obsidian drops the bag into Hendrik's hand before snatching it up again.

"No." Is all Hendrik says to make Obsidian drop it again, this time for good.

"Sorry about that…" Sylvando sheepishly rubs the back of his neck. "I didn't think Obsidian would be a little thief and try to steal your breakfast."

"Let us hope it is not too late for the food…" Hendrik opens the bag, mindful of the horse saliva making the sides stick together. Luckily, the contents seem to be intact, and Hendrik takes them out before the saliva can drip down onto them. "What is this?"

"It's banh chao!" Sylvando excitedly informs Hendrik. "I tried it the other day, and it was soooo good!"

Hendrik cannot help but smile, even as a small part of him twinges with sadness. "Thank you." 

"You're welcome, darling! Anything to make sure all the people of the world get to eat." Sylvando winks, causing slight heat to rise to Hendrik's cheeks.

"H-how much was it?" Hendrik asks, holding his food away from a curious Obsidian.

Sylvando blinks for a moment before reeling back, holding his hands up. "Oh no no no! I don't need you to repay me for a little bit of food!"

"But with the current circumstances-"

"Nope!" Sylvando cuts him off. "You are NOT going to pay for that, no ifs, ands, or buts!"

Hendrik sighs in defeat. "If you insist."

Sylvando smiles. "So, the boys are just about ready to go. What about you?"

"I am ready. I believe the ghost is, as well." Hendrik glances towards the cool spot next to him.

"Oh my gosh, I didn't realize he was here!" Sylvando's eyes widen slightly as he follows Hendrik's gaze. "Honey, how are you feeling? I hope that priest didn't hurt you…"

Hendrik disregards the slight warm feeling in his chest seemingly forming in response to Sylvando. "He seems to be doing better, now that he has had some time to recover."

"Oh thank the goddess!" Sylvando goes back to smiling. "I was so worried about you! I had no idea how to tell how badly they hurt you."

"I casted midheal on him earlier. He will be fine."

Sylvando goes quiet for a moment. "…You managed to cast a spell on a ghost?"

"Yes."

"Huh." Sylvando tilts his head to the side. "I always thought most spells wouldn't work on ghosts, but I guess healing magic can."

"Why is that?" Hendrik asks before biting into his meal.

"Well, I figured that since ghosts don't have physical bodies, then it'd be harder to cast spells on them."

"Whatever the case may be, we should leave for Angri-La soon." Hendrik tugs at his collar. "Besides, it is getting rather stuffy in here."

"Let me saddle Obsidian up for you while you eat, darling." Sylvando offers, already going over to pick Obsidian's saddle up. "You can wait with my Soldiers. They're over by the parade float."

\-----

One disappearing act concerning banh chao later, the whole party is off to Angri-La. The air is rapidly cooling around Hendrik as they traverse between the plateaus to reach Costa Valor. Hendrik is leading Obsidian by the lead due to the difficult terrain in the region.

After some time, Sylvando brings his horse over to Obsidian. The two horses get close to one another and seem to converse amongst themselves. "Awww, they're so cute." Sylvando coos.

"They are." Hendrik watches Obsidian's body language in particular. She seems to like Margarita.

"Hendrik?"

"What is it?"

"Have you…" Sylvando gulps. "Had any more dreams about Eleven?"

"I am afraid not." Hendrik answers honestly.

Sylvando sighs. "I… I really miss that poor boy. I was teaching him how to juggle before… everything. I hope he got the hang of it."

"Do not fret. He is the luminary, chosen by Yggdrasil herself. If anyone is alive, it is him." Hendrik reassures Sylvando.

"Yeah, you're right." Sylvando smiles at him. "Thank you, honey. I feel soooo much better now."

Is Sylvando being sarcastic? Hendrik can't tell with the context. After a moment, he decides it is safest to say nothing and digs through his satchel. He gets a jacket out and uses gravity to unfold the bottom. "Sylvando, could you hold Obsidian's reins?" Sylvando takes the reins and holds them in the same hand as Margarita's. Then, Hendrik starts putting his jacket on. After putting the hood on, he catches Sylvando staring at him. "What is it?"

"You're crying, darling." Sylvando gingerly reaches for Hendrik.

Hendrik drags his hand across his cheeks, and his glove comes away wet. "What in the…?"

"Do you need a handkerchief?" Sylvando procures a purple cloth from his sleeve.

"No, no." Hendrik keeps wiping his face. "Hand Obsidian over."

Sylvando does just that. "If you ever need to talk-"

"I am fine!" Hendrik shouts a little too loudly. "I do not need comfort." He stomps ahead without Sylvando, guiding Obsidian around obstacles.

His mood soured and throat clenching on itself, Hendrik wanders off in whatever direction he chooses. He's fine. The crying was just a bodily fluke. So why does he feel so sad? Nothing happened. He wasn't even aware of the sadness until Sylvando pointed out Hendrik's tears.

A hiccup makes Hendrik snap out of it. He immediately looks to the cold presence and reaches out to the ghost. More sobs.

"What is wrong?" Hendrik asks. A sense of guilt fills him with each choked sob coming from the ghost.

Obsidian comes around to push her head into the ghost, and all negative feelings afflicting Hendrik lose their intensity. Hendrik smiles and reaches out to pat Obsidian.

"I believe Obsidian is trying to comfort you." Hendrik says. "Here, pet her with me." Hendrik slowly moves his hand down Obsidian's neck. The ghost's hand joins him, and soon they are both giving Obsidian affection, something all three of them are clearly happy about.

After a while, Hendrik yawns and rubs his eyes. He briefly wonders if he got enough sleep last night. "We should regroup… before we get ambushed."

\-----

They have almost reached the base of Pang Lai within just a few hours, and yet Hendrik is already exhausted to the bone despite riding on horseback. Not only that, but he's also frozen and starving. He can't possibly understand how the others seem to be fine with the light layers they put on in preparation of their mountain trek.

"Are you ok?" A Soldier of Smile asks for the millionth time.

"Perfectly." Hendrik grumbles. He just needs to suck it up, like all his drill sergeants told him whenever Hendrik got tired.

"But your face is all red!"

Hendrik focuses ahead of him as the mountains… sway? "Excuse me, everyone? The mountains…"

"What about them?" Sylvando leans towards Hendrik, keeping his thighs firmly locked around Margarita.

Hendrik blinks, and just like that, the mountains return to normal. Hendrik blinks several more times to make sure. "…Nevermind." And just like that, they all return to whatever they were doing. Somehow, Hendrik still has the energy to produce worry. Lots and lots of worry. Not for the mountains, and not for the others, but for himself.

Hendrik rubs his eyes for the millionth time that day before blowing hot breath into his hands. He squints at the distance before them and wonders how much longer they have before they reach Angri-La.

"Look out! Monsters!" Someone, Hendrik can't tell who, screams and points.

Sylvando is off his horse in an instant, leaping off and soaring into the air before landing with a flourish and brandishing his sword at the group of monsters. Hendrik… is a little less graceful. Somehow, all his years of horseback riding left him in an instant and he ended up tumbling to the ground. Trying to stand only resulted in the embarassing discovery that his foot is caught in the stirrup.

Hendrik tries to tug his foot out, but his coordination is too weak to properly remove it. A parader runs over and slips Hendrik's foot out of the stirrup. Hendrik groans as he pushes himself up. "You…" He grunts as he gets on his feet with the help of the parader. "You have… my…"

"Don't mention it. Just help with the monsters!" The parader whips out a harpoon and charges into the fray.

Hendrik reaches up over his shoulder and fumbles for his greatsword. Once he finally wraps his hand around it, he draws it inch by painstaking inch. Then, he brings it out in front of him, only to struggle toeven hold it up. Goddess, how did his sword get so heavy?

One of the monsters notices Hendrik and charges at him. Hendrik raises his sword to block the attack, only for it to be too weak to prevent Hendrik from taking damage. Hendrik curses and slowly swings, missing the monster. The monster cackles before bringing down an overhead attack. Cold hands force Hendrik's up to block the attack, and with the ghost's help, Hendrik successfully blocks it.

As the monster stumbles back, Hendrik's sword freezes of its own accord, creating large chunks of ice. Hendrik stares at it for a moment before the ghost brings Hendrik's sword up. In that very second, Hendrik understands what the ghost means to do and swings with him, combining their strength to unleash a… normal attack. With ice in it.

The monster's wounds freeze over, but that doesn't stop it from lauching another attack. This time, neither Hendrik nor the ghost react fast enough. It tackles Hendrik to the ground and lands a series of blows hard enough to make Hendrik black out. He quickly regains consciousness, only to find the monster screaming as flames engulf its body, flames shooting from Hendrik's own hands. The flames sputter out and die the same time the monster does, and Hendrik is left to pant on the ground.

Hendrik thinks he catches some residual light on his left hand, but when he goes to look, there is nothing out of the ordinary. He drops his hands and turns his gaze skywards. This is a whole new definition of feeling drained. It's as though Hendrik spent all the MP he had within him to try to save the lives of his soldiers, and now he can hardly move.

"Henny?" Sylvando's face comes into view. "Can you hear me?" A few more faces pop into Hendrik's vision as well, blocking the light.

Hendrik mumbles out something unintelligible even to himself.

"Emilio! Over here!" Sylvando shouts to one of the paraders.

Hendrik sighs and shuts his eyes. He's so very tired. Perhaps a brief nap wouldn't hurt…

\-----

Hendrik groans as he rubs his eyes. The first thing he notices is how dry his mouth and throat are. The second thing he notices is the arm around his waist. The third, that he is in a tent, and that people outside are chatting amongst-

Wait. Who's arm is that?

Hendrik slowly follows the black-sleeved, cool arm up to a torso in purple, then to the luminary's open eyes. They both blink at one another, then Hendrik lets out a scream that would put a banshee to shame. He instinctively punches Eleven, only for Eleven to disappear before Hendrik's fist can connect.

Moments later, several people rush into the tent, weapons drawn. They look around and start audibly growing confused.

Sylv rushes over to Hendrik's side. "What's wrong?"

"The lumi…" Hendrik's voice gives out, and he goes into a coughing fit.

"Boys." Sylv turns to the others. "Search the area. I'll talk to Hendrik."

Some of the paraders leave the tent, while others begin their search within the tent. Sylv procures a waterskin and presses it to Hendrik's lips once the coughing fit is over. Hendrik greedily drinks every last drop, then coughs a few more times before finally settling down.

"What happened?" Sylv asks as they close the waterskin and put it back.

"The luminary was here!" Hendrik shouts. "He- he was right here!" Hendrik points to where Eleven was.

Sylv takes one look at the ground. "Hendrik, I don't think anyone was here."

"But I saw him!"

Sylv sighs and sits with Hendrik. The ghost, who Hendrik hadn't realized was in the room, scoots up and rubs Hendrik's shoulder with a pressure that Hendrik can almost feel. Sylv quickly removes the damp cloth that had been laying next to Hendrik and places it atop Hendrik's forehead.

"Our doctor says you caught a really bad case of the flu." Sylv explains. "You were having these… intense dreams as a result. I don't know for sure if that's why you saw Eleven, though."

Hendrik closely examines the ground where Eleven was. "But the grass has been crushed! Someone laid here."

"Darling, you were rolling around in your sleep." Sylv informs him. "You probably did that yourself."

"…I did?"

"Yes." Sylv purses their lips. "Look, I'll get the doctor again, and he can make sure your little fever is getting better. Just stay here, and my boys will keep searching to make sure no one's here. Right, boys?"

The paraders, who had paused their search to eavesdrop, come to attention. "Right!" They all shout at once before frantically searching everything.

Hendrik sighs. Maybe Sylv's right. Maybe Eleven was just a product of his sleep-addled mind. It doesn't mean anything. He watches with these thoughts as Sylv leaves the tent. They shortly return with a dark-haired parader.

"Hello." The parader-slash-doctor kneels by Hendrik. "Sylv told me about earlier. You said you saw Eleven, right?"

"That is correct." Hendrik affirms.

"Did he say or do anything?"

"No. He merely laid next to me while hugging me."

"I see." The doctor pulls out a notepad. "How long were you awake for before you saw him?"

"Mere moments."

The paraders searching the tent start to clear out of it.

"And what did you do once you saw him?" The doctor inquires.

"I screamed, tried to punch him, and he disappeared." Hendrik tells him.

The doctor writes all of that down. "Anything else you'd like to add?"

"No." Hendrik looks away.

"Ok, I'm going to check your temperature now." The doctor gets a thermometer out and holds it to Hendrik's mouth. "Hold this under your tongue until I say you can stop."

Hendrik obediently opens his mouth, lets the doctor put the thermometer in, then closes his mouth.

"You can let go now." The doctor says after about twenty seconds has passed.

Hendrik opens his mouth. The doctor pulls the thermometer out, checks it, and frowns.

"Your fever doesn't seem to have gone down any…" He cleans off the thermometer and puts it away before writing something in his notepad. "Maybe some food will help. Dinner's almost ready, after all."

"Dinner?" Hendrik quietly gasps. "Have I been asleep for that long?"

"Yes. It's nighttime."

"…Shit." Hendrik rubs his face and groans. "When will I get better?"

"Mm, about a week, give or take. Just get some rest." The doctor tucks Hendrik in before leaving. "Don't hesitate to come talk to me if you need anything."

"One last question, sir." Hendrik pipes up. "Where are we?"

"We're at the base of Pang Lai. We set up camp next to a goddess statue, so you don't need to worry about monsters." With that, the doctor gets up and leaves.

Hendrik frowns and tries to relax. Luckily, the ghost seems to insist on cuddling with Hendrik right now. Hendrik moves over to make some room in the bedroll, then taps the top of it where the empty space is. The ghost makes itself right at home on the bedroll, settling its whole incorporeal body onto Hendrik.

"Thank you." Hendrik stretches put his arm to try to hold the ghost. It's nice, getting to hold someone. Even if Hendrik is still aching from his flu.

For a while, all is silent within the tent. There is some chatter outside the tent, but the paraders are quiet about it, likely out of consideration for Hendrik. And Hendrik is grateful for the relative peace and quiet. It allows him to keep his wits about him, at the very least.

Someone outside rings a bell, and the paraders seem to get excited. A while later, the doctor reemerges through the tent flaps with a bowl of stew and an apparently freshly-glamoured Sylvando, who is holding his own bowl of stew.

"Food's ready!" The doctor is cheery as he waltzes over to Hendrik's side. The side where the ghost is, much to Hendrik's great irritation. "It's not chicken noodle soup, but it should help with your flu."

"What is Sylvando doing here?" Hendrik asks.

Sylvando sits down opposite of the doctor, at a reasonable distance from Hendrik. "I'm just here to make sure you don't have to eat by yourself, honey." She flashes a smile at Hendrik.

The doctor moves to help Hendrik up, but the ghost beats him to it. Soon, Hendrik is sitting upright with the ghost being a constant pressure on his back. The doctor spoons up some watery broth before bringing it to Hendrik's mouth. Sylvando starts eating as well.

"So, what foods are up mountain?" Sylvando asks. "It's been… oh, so very long since I've come here."

"I believe pine needles are edible when cooked, though I must double check." Hendrik eats another spoonful as he thinks. "There are pine nuts as well. They come from pinecones. Uh… that is all I can think of."

"I've also heard of eating the pinecones themselves." The doctor adds as he keeps feeding. "I'm not sure how they ate it, though."

They keep talking for a while, and Hendrik finds them to be good mealtime company. Eventually though, he and Sylvando finish eating.

"Who's tent is this?" Hendrik finally thinks to ask as the doctor gathers their bowls.

"Mine." The doctor raises his hand for a brief moment. "I use it as a sort of office, and to house sick people."

"I see." Hendrik looks around. "And where is my satchel?"

"Just in that chest over there." The doctor points to a wooden chest. "Do you want me to get it?"

"Yes."

The doctor retrieves the satchel and sets it down next to Hendrik. "Anything else?"

"No thank you."

"Ok, I'll go hang out with the other boys. See you soon." The doctor smiles at Hendrik before leaving. However, Sylvando remains with Hendrik.

"Do you feel any better?" Sylvando asks.

"Yes." Hendrik's mind feels much clearer now that he's gotten some sleep. And the ghost currently helping to hold Hendrik up doesn't hurt, either. He brings his satchel over and briefly checks the pearl in case it got damanged (It didn't. in fact, the smaller cracks seem to have gone away) before getting the pinwheel, wagon, and bottle cap out for the ghost. The ghost starts playing with the pinwheel before Hendrik can even find a way to hold it upright, filling Hendrik's heart with joy.

"Is the ghost doing that?" Sylvando points to the pinwheel.

"Yes." Hendrik tries to lay down again, but the ghost puts up resistance. "Ghost. Let me lay down."

The ghost all but drops Hendrik, making him fall and hit his head on the thankfully soft pillow. Hendrik scowls, but says nothing about it. He only lifts his head up to watch the ghost play with the pinwheel.

Sylvando pulls out some dowsing rods. "Hey ghostie~! Want to talk to your pals again?" He holds out the dowsing rods towards the pinwheel. The pinwheel slows, then the rods move to convey a yes. "Great! …Henny, what should we talk about?"

Hendrik thinks for a moment. "I managed to devise a system where the ghost can spell out a word. I went down the alphabet, and when I said a letter the ghost wanted to use, he would move the wagon. We could do the same for the dowsing rods."

"Ooh! Did you find out his name?"

It takes a moment for it to sink in. Once it does, Hendrik instantly feels much, much stupider. "…I had not thought of that."

"Mm, that's ok, honey. We can find out now." Sylvando just smiles. "So, do you want to tell us your name?"

The rods move to indicate a yes. Sylvando's excitement seems to be contagious as he starts listing off the alphabet.

"An E!" Sylvando puts the rods down to write that on a piece of spare paper. Then, he hands it to Hendrik. "Here, write down what the ghost says."

Hendrik prepares his supplies while Sylvando keeps at his thing.

"So an L…" Sylvando briefly frowns as he looks up. "Is your name Elliot?"

The rods cross together.

"Drat. I thought I had it." After that, Sylvando keeps going. "Another E…" Sylvando's face grows pale. "I… can't think of any names." He chuckles and coughs. "L-let's keep going!"

It is the fourth letter that makes Sylvando's hands visibly shake. The tent grows so quiet that Hendrik can hear nocturnal birds faintly chirp.

"This…" Sylvando's voice cracks. "This isn't funny!" He drops the rods before the ghost has a chance to respond.

Hendrik's heart freezes over. "S-Sylvando! He did not finish! Perhaps he is spelling a different name!"

"Don't!" Sylvando holds the palm of his hand towards Hendrik. Hendrik catches a glimpse of a tear before Sylvando runs off, leaving Hendrik and the ghost all alone.

Hendrik begins to cry the same time the ghost does. A strange sort of sadness fills his whole being, and he has no choice but to embrace the ghost.

"I know." Hendrik's voice is weak and trembling. "I know…"

He doesn't know how long they spend consoling one another. But once they both calm down, the ghost lays down with Hendrik, using him as a pillow. Hendrik runs his hand along what he assumes is the ghost's arm and contemplates the situation. Really, Hendrik had no reason to be sad. After all, Sylvando was upset with the ghost, not him. So why did Hendrik get sad on the ghost's behalf?

Hendrik sighs and picks up the paper he wrote on. The letters spell out 'ELEV', but Hendrik has no idea if that is the whole name or only part of it. After all, he knows Heliodorian nobles give their children strange names. For all Hendrik knows, the full name could be Elevalalaneighkcaeiet.

"Uh…" Hendrik searches for a way to address the ghost. "May I call you El for the time being?"

After a few moments, the wagon rolls before being stopped by the bottle cap.

"El, would you like to continue spelling out your name?"

The wagon stays completely still.

"Very well. I understand." And Hendrik says no more on the topic.

\-----

"I assure you, I feel well enough to travel."

"No!" The doctor, Emilio as Hendrik finally learned, smacks Hendrik with a rolled-up magazine. "You're still sick! Just feel your forehead."

Hendrik takes his right glove off and presses his bare hand to his forehead. It's not particularly warm when he compares it to his cheek. "But it does not feel hot?"

"I checked your temperature earlier, you're still running a fever!"

"But I feel better!"

Sylvia steps between them. "Boys. No fighting."

Hendrik's face now heats up.

"Hendrik, you want to keep going, right?" Sylvia turns to Hendrik.

"Yes." Hendrik nods.

"And Emilio, you think Hendrik should rest."

"That is correct."

Sylvia shifts her weight to one foot as she looks upwards. Then, she snaps her fingers. "I know the perfect compromise! I can carry Hendrik while we travel up the mountain!"

Hendrik only blushes harder. "S-Sylvia! I am a knight! I am supposed to be the one carrying others!"

Sylvia laughs. "Come on. It's the best solution for both of you."

Hendrik hates to admit it, but she has a point. "Very well. If it will finally get us moving again."

"Just make sure Hendrik wears a mask." Emilio tells Sylvia. "He can still infect you."

"I will. Just let me talk to everyone before we go, ok?" Sylvia smiles at him. "They might not be ready to go yet."

Hendrik sighs and sits by the dying campfire. El tugs at Hendrik's satchel. Hendrik opens it up without a word and gets the wagon out. "Do you want something?"

The wagon rolls.

"Do you want your pinwheel?"

The wagon remains still.

"Do you want me to light some incense?"

The wagon rolls again.

Hendrik gets the incense out and opens the box. He slides a stick out before holding it to the burning wood. It lights up beautifully, creating threads of smoke that float up before dissipating. Hendrik slides it into the incense holder and takes in its scent.

He hadn't gotten the chance to light it until now, what with Emilio confining Hendrik to his tent for the most part and keeping a strict no smoke policy in it. As such, he didn't get to smell the incense until now. He expected it to make him nauseous, like incense tends to do to him, but he finds that the scent is actually quite pleasant. After a while, he decides that he may just buy this kind of incense again.

"Do you like this incense?" Hendrik asks after a while.

The wagon rolls.

"Good." Hendrik feels contentment at that. He's about to suggest speeling out the rest of El's name, but thinks better of it and refrains. He doesn't want to accidentally upset Sylvia again.

After a while, where Hendrik rests in silent contemplation, Sylvia whistles loud enough for everyone to hear. All of her paraders rush to gather around her while Hendrik turns his head towards her.

"Oh boysss! I have an announcement to make!" Sylvia strikes a dramatic pose before relaxing into a more casual one. "Since everyone seems to be raring to go, then let's pack up camp and make our way to Angri-La!"

The paraders all cheer before getting to dismantling the camp. Hendrik puts the wagon away, then puts the incense out and slips it back into the little box. It's after he puts the incense holder away that he registers someone staring at him. Hendrik slowly turns to see Sylvia looking down at him.

"So, are you ready to go?" Sylvia smiles at him.

Hendrik glances inside his satchel. Yep, everything's there. "I suppose so."

"Great!" Sylvia swoops down and picks Hendrik up like he weighs nothing.

At first, it doesn't register. After all, how could someone outside the military possibly pick up one as heavy as Hendrik? But once he realizes it, that Sylvia's holding him bridal style, that Sylvia's carrying him unassisted, Hendrik starts spluttering and stuttering.

"You- What- I- How????" Hendrik keeps looking to Sylvia's face, then to her arms, and back again.

"Darling, haven't you figured it out yet?" Sylvia smiles wider. "Me and my Soldiers of Smile are cheerleaders! We carry each other all the time!"

"…I had never thought of it that way." Hendrik admits. He brings his arms up to hold Sylvia's shoulders. It's to help her hold him up, Hendrik tells himself.

Sylvia only takes two steps before she freezes. They entered a spot where the temperature is noticeably lower than the surrounding area. El is standing here.

"…Hendrik." Sylvia's muscles tense up. "Is the ghost here?"

"Yes." Hendrik says with absolute certainty.

Sylvia bows her head and remains stoic as she stomps past El. Her grip on Hendrik becomes tight as she clenches her jaw. She stands at the entrance to the cave and quietly waits for the others.

"Are you alright?" Hendrik eventually ventures to ask.

"Yes." Sylvia grits out.

Hendrik glances to the spot El is in. He's still by Hendrik's side, as he's always been lately. "You are tense."

"I said I'm fine."

"Is it about the ghost?" Hendrik presses.

"Hendrik." Sylvia's tone is final, leaving no room for argument. "No."

Hendrik shuts his mouth and decides to stay quiet for now. Once again, he seems to feel sad on El's behalf again, though this time it's not as intense. He sighs and watches a crowd gather around them.

"Let me do a head count real quick…" Sylvia mouths numbers as she looks through the crowd. "That's everyone! Are you all ready to go?"

Everyone screams a yes.

Sylvia gives a smile that seems fake to Hendrik. Then again, he's never been good at deciphering expressions. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's give the people of Angri-La a show they'll never forget!"

Everyone cheers and whoops. Some pull their instruments out and start playing. In that moment, all Hendrik can hope for is that Sylvia can get along with El, and that the cave doesn't amplify the sound. He gets some earplugs from his satchel just in case and inserts them into his ears.

\-----

The cold winds bite into every member of their party, making them falter in their merry-making. The group had to pause in order to put more layers on just to be able to tolerate the wind.

And yet, it doesn't affect Hendrik that much. He gave some of his heavier clothing to Sylvia, who tried to refuse, but caved into Hendrik's insistence. Still, she made Hendrik at least wear a light jacket, even thogh it doesn't do much for him. He's warm enough as he is.

"Sylvia?" Hendrik gets Sylvia's attention after they get moving again.

"Wh-wh-what is it?" Sylvia's whole body is trembling, and her face is all ruddy.

Hendrik chooses his phrasing carefully. "When we reach Angri-La and acquire lodging, would you like for me to question El on your behalf? You do not have to speak to him, but-"

"Who's El?"

"The ghost." Hendrik explains. "That is what I am referring to him as."

Sylvia sighs, letting out a puff of hot air. "You c-c-can do that… whenever you want, hhhhoney. Don't let- let me… stop you."

"But if you have any questions for or about him, I can try to have him answer them."

Sylvia shakes her head. "I don't- I don't have any questions."

"Are you still upset over the name he was spelling out?"

"Yes!" Sylvia shouts. She pauses and clears her throat. "I'm- I'm so s-s-sorry. I… I didn't mean to… yell." She keeps walking ahead, into another cave. "It's just… my darling Eleven, he… I'm worried."

"I am worried as well." Hendrik looks off deeper into the cave. "But Angri-La may hold a clue as to his location. At the moment, it is best to keep pressing on."

"You're… you're right." Sylvia sniffles as she reaches a natural raised platform and watches the paraders set up ladders. "Who- who knows? He might even be there!" Sylvia smiles a little.

"That would make things much easier." Hendrik gets down from Sylvia's arms, both so that she doesn't have to climb a ladder while carrying Hendrik, and so that she can rest her arms.

"It's ready!" A parader shouts from atop the platform.

One by one, everyone climbs the ladder. Hendrik is among the last to do so, followed by Sylvia. They repeat this process two more times, until they reach the top. The exit lays before them, leading to more snowy fields. Sylvia picks Hendrik back up again before they continue walking, with the paraders continuing their music.

It's not long before they come across some bald people in warm-colored clothes wrapped around their bodies with short sleeves. As soon as they see  
the large group approaching and blaring music, the rush forward with their hands out.

"Halt!" One shouts to them over the music.

Sylvia stops. "Boys!"

The paraders stop playing almost immediately. Sylvia puts Hendrik back down.

The one that spoke steps forward. "Who are you people?"

"Why, we're the Soldiers of Smile!" Sylvia whips out her twin fans and strikes a pose, with the Soldiers following suit. "We're here to bring smiles and cheer back to the world, one town at a time!"

All the Soldiers start partying in place, playing their music while those without instruments dance. The guards before them stare at them with blank expressions for several long moments. Then, they turn to Hendrik, who is the only one who isn't participating in the merrymaking.

"Are you with them?" Another guard asks, pointing to the paraders.

"Yes." Hendrik nods.

"Hey, doesn't he look like Sir Hendrik of Heliodor?" The third guard points out. "Shouldn't we keep Heliodor soldiers away?"

"I am not Sir Hendrik of Heliodor!" Sir Hendrik of Heliodor loudly lies, holding up his shaky hands. "My name is, uh, ummm…" Hendrik blushes as he struggles to think. "Elevalalaneighkcaeiet!"

"…What?"

"IsaidmynameisElevalalaneighkcaeiet." Hendrik rushes through.

The three guards look at one another. Even a few paraders stop to stare at Hendrik.

"I… see." One guard coughs into his fist. "That's… a unique name you have."

"Yeah, it is!" Sylvia chimes in. "His parents are Heliodorian nobles that wanted their baby to have a name unlike any other, so they decided to give him the name Elevalalaneighkcaeiet. And I must say, it's a very good name!"

"Yes! That is correct! All of it!" Hendrik nods so hard he ends up hurting his neck. He winces and rubs the back of it.

"What is with all that commotion?" A little boy in glasses climbs down the stairs the guards were originally by. As soon as he sees the group, he runs over and stares at them.

"High Lama!" The guards all turn to the boy and greet him at once.

One guard speaks for the three of them. "We were dealing with these…" He glances backwards. "Entertainers. Do you want to let them in?"

The High Lama ignores them as he approaches Hendrik. As he draws near, it becomes apparent that he's staring at the empty space next to Hendrik. Hendrik shoots a look at El, who is currently occupying the space.

"High Lama?" A guard approaches the High Lama.

Without looking away, the High Lama adjusts his glasses and blinks. "Go get Gabriela."

One guard runs off.

"Is something wrong?" Anxiety gnaws at Hendrik's insides.

"No… It is not that." The High Lama doesn't even spare a glance towards Hendrik as he reaches into the space. "…The Luminary is here."

The paraders stop what they're doing and whisper amongst themselves.

"He is?!" Sylvia rushes forward. "Where?! Where is he?!"

"He is standing here." The High Lama points to the empty space. Where El is.

"Wait a moment, are you saying that the ghost that has been following me is none other than the luminary?!" Hendrik exclaims, staring at the space El is in. It can't be. This must be a trick! But despite that, something inside Hendrik is happy. Is it El being happy? Or is it just Hendrik being happy? He honestly can't tell.

"Oh, so you already know of him. That makes things easier." The High Lama calmly states. "It is true. My master, whom I hope is resting in peace, taught me how to identify energy signatures, be it from the living or dead. She said that I would know the luminary's signature when I saw it."

"Are you saying…" Sylvia gulps. "That precious little Eleven… is dead?"

"It appears that way." The High Lama confirms.

For several moments, all is quiet. Sylvia's lip trembles before her eyes water up. "…No. No!" Sylvia's voice cracks as she raises her voice. "It can't be! He has to be alive! He wouldn't just die on his friends!"

"I am afraid it is true." The High Lama sighs. "I doubt there is any other way the luminary could have become a spirit. You have my condolences."

Tears freely flow from Sylvia's eyes as her whole being trembles. She brings her fist to her mouth and emits a few tiny sobs. "I… need a minute." She turnd tail and runs past the other paraders.

"Sylvia!" Hendrik calls out to her.

"I'll go after her!" A parader runs in the same direction as Sylvia.

"Me too!"

Hendrik watches them all go. He can't believe it. He failed his mission before it even began. The only hope for the world… dead. How are they to banish the darkness now? 

Before Hendrik can dive dangerously deep down that rabbit hole, more people come down the stairs. Namely, the guard that left earlier, and someone covered in flour. The new person looks down as they dust their hands off on their robes.

"I apologize for taking so long, I was on cooking…" They look up, and their eyes grow wide. "¡Oh por diosa!" They rush over to Hendrik and… Eleven. "Come on, you two." They grab Hendrik's hand the same time they make a grabbing motion where Eleven is. "Let's get you inside."

"Where are you taking me?" Hendrik resists this stranger's tugs.

"You two are coming to my office. Do not worry, I just want to ask you two a few questions. It is nothing bad." This stranger keeps insisting. "You can have a treat after you two are done."

Hendrik looks to the hand not holding Hendrik's "Us two?"

"Yes. You and the ghost." The stranger gives another tug. "Well?"

Hendrik finally relents and allows the stranger to drag him around. The stranger takes him through a doorless-doorway into a surprisingly warm building, then up a set of stairs. They finally enter a room with two medical beds, a table full of alchemical reagents and supplies, a bookshelf in one corner, and a shelf with unlit incense and a large pink crystal on it.

"Have a seat. Both of you." The stranger gestures to the beds.

Hendrik sits on the bed to his right. "What is the purpose of this?"

"Just a minute." The stranger shuts the curtain in the doorway, then stands before the beds. "My name is Gabriela. I am from Puerto Valor. My pronouns are she, her, and hers. I am a medium, so I deal with spiritual matters, especially when it concerns mortals." She turns to the unoccupied bed. "Yes. I can see you."

Overwhelming joy suddenly washes over Hendrik, and he can't help but double over and laugh. "Wh, why am I laughing?" He wheezes.

Gabriela pulls up a chair. She doesn't speak until Hendrik's laughs die down. "I believe it's because your soul is bound to the luminary's."

All joy leaves Hendrik in an instant. "…What?!"


End file.
